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“Runaway Advocaat”

Posted September. 16, 2005 06:34,   

한국어

The media from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) expressed troubled feelings over Dick Advocaat`s decision to head Korean soccer team, so all eyes are on the response from the UAE.

Two UAE newspapers, the Khaleej Times and the Gulf News, reported on September 14 that the 58-year-old Dutchman resigned as head coach of the United Arab Emirates team after less than two months in order to take charge of Korean national team, saying, "Advocaat put the UAE team in trouble," and, "His unexpected decision to go to Korea shocked the UAE."

The Khaleej Times said, "Dick Advocaat left Dubai in a rush. Now, the UAE Soccer Association has to find a new coach. Yet the association has not made any comment on his move."

The Gulf News reported that Advocaat`s abrupt departure to Korea angered the UAE Soccer Association, the media, and UAE fans. The paper said, "Advocaat left his car keys at a hotel and secretly slipped out of Dubai International Airport. He did not give any sign of leaving to the UAE Soccer Association`s officials."

The news added that the former UAE head coach, with an annual salary of about 1.05 million dollars (about one billion Korean won), left for Korea after receiving $87,500 in salary for August from the UAE Soccer Association.

The UAE newspapers also said many soccer people are fuming about the fact that the contract with Advocaat contains no clause penalizing him for breach of contract.