The Dutch trainer Dick Advocaat stops as national coach of Iraq. Various Iraqi and Dutch media report this Tuesday evening. According to reports, Lawyer himself has resigned. It is unknown why he is leaving. The 74-year-old trainer from The Hague had a contract until next year. He coached the Iraqis for only six games, and he never won. Iraq drew four times under Advocaat and lost twice.
Also read this interview about Lawyer’s departure from Feyenoord: ‘That image of a cheeky boy is not correct’
The former trainer of Feyenoord, Sparta, AZ and PSV, among others, hoped to qualify with the Asian country for the World Cup in Qatar next year. Before that, Iraq had to deal with Iran, Syria, Lebanon, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, but the qualifying cycle has been very rough so far. Iraq is second to last in the group with four points from six matches. According to local media, the pressure on Lawyer increased after he lost to South Korea last week. Due to the loss, his successor is waiting for a tough challenge to qualify for the World Cup with the so-called Lions of Mesopotamia.
It is uncertain whether Advocaat will end his coaching career: he has his football pension in the past regularly announced. He then had to come back to that as often as a club managed to tempt him to come back. Feyenoord was Advocaat’s last Dutch club; he said goodbye to De Kuip last season in an emotional way. He previously worked as a national coach for the Netherlands, Belgium, Russia and Serbia, among others.
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