Advocaat quits Netherlands for Fenerbahce talks

Dick Advocaat has confirmed that he is in talks with Fenerbahce after quitting his role as assistant coach to the Netherlands national team.

The 68-year-old was appointed to work with head coach Danny Blind in May, having left his post as Sunderland manager in October 2015.

However, despite a World Cup qualifier with Sweden less than a month away, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) announced on Monday that Advocaat was stepping down.

The former PSV and Zenit boss later told Voetbal International: “At this moment, I am in talks with Fenerbahce, that’s right.”

Blind expressed his surprise at Advocaat’s decision but called for focus ahead of their friendly match with Greece on September 1, before the qualifiers for Russia 2018 against Sweden and Belarus.

“I am really surprised, because when I spoke to Dick in the spring, he gave the impression that he was in it for the long haul,” he told the KNVB’s website. “But we need to focus on the next matches now, against Greece and Sweden, which are very important.”

Team technical director Hans van Breukelen added that he felt “unpleasantly surprised”, but Advocaat says a clause in his contract meant it was always likely that he would pursue any significant offers from elsewhere.

“I understand that Blind is disappointed,” he told Voetbal International. “If there’s a clause in the contract that I can leave if a chance comes, don’t be surprised if it happens.

“Everybody knew about this clause, so I don’t understand that they are surprised.”