AMSTERDAM, April 22 ― Feyenoord's 72-year-old coach Dick Advocaat has agreed to stay with the team for another season, the club said yesterday.
Advocaat had been undecided about his future before the suspension of the Dutch top-flight because of the Covid-19 pandemic but has now signed a one-year contract extension.
He took over from Jaap Stam who quit in October following a 4-0 defeat at arch-rivals Ajax Amsterdam that left Feyenoord floundering in the bottom half of the table.
Advocaat has engineered a turnaround, which has enhanced his reputation for successfully dealing with a crisis, and Feyenoord having lost only once in 21 games since he took over.
“Of course it feels strange in these times, but ultimately it is also good to extend my contract with this beautiful club,” Advocaat said in a club statement.
“Certainly in the past crazy weeks I noticed how passionate I am and how much I want to continue as a coach.
“Something really started to develop within the team here at Feyenoord until everything came to a standstill. I want that to carry on and the club wants that too, so that's what we aim for, despite the many uncertainties that exist at the moment.”
Feyenoord are third in the Eredivisie table with 50 points from 25 games, six behind leaders Ajax and AZ Alkmaar.
The club said they were delighted that Advocaat would mark his 40th anniversary as a coach in their service.
His coaching career began in the Dutch amateur ranks in 1981 and has included three stints as Netherlands coach plus spells at the likes of Rangers, Sunderland and Zenit St Petersburg. ― Reuters
