EURO 2012: Russia coach profile, Dick Advocaat

Name: Dick Advocaat
Date of birth: 27 September 1947
Nationality: Dutch
Playing career: ADO Den Haag (twice), Roda JC, VVV Venlo, Chicago Sting, Sparta Rotterdam, K. Berchem Sport, FC Utrecht
Coaching career: DSVP, HFC Haarlem, FC Dordrecht, Netherlands (twice), PSV Eindhoven, Rangers FC, VfL Borussia Monchengladbach, United Arab Emirates, Korea Republic, FC Zenit St Petersburg, AZ Alkmaar, Belgium, Russia

A combative midfielder, Dick Advocaat?s playing career lasted 18 years and included three seasons in the North American Soccer League with Chicago Sting.

Twice served as assistant coach to Rinus Michels with the Dutch national team, where he earned the nickname Little General. Then took charge himself and led the Oranje to the 1994 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals in the United States.

Won the Dutch Cup and Eredivisie with PSV (1995-98) before moving to Scotland and picking up domestic treble in the first of four seasons with Rangers.

Then opted for a second spell with the Netherlands and led team to UEFA EURO 2004 semi-finals. Two years later he was in charge of South Korea at the World Cup finals.

Returned to club football with Zenit, winning the Russian title in 2007 and the UEFA Cup ? where he defeated former club Rangers ? and UEFA Super Cup a year later. Left in August 2009, becoming Belgium coach two months later before agreeing to coach AZ Alkmaar for the rest of the season. Took charge of Russia in May 2010, clinching a place at UEFA EURO 2012 with a 6-0 defeat of Andorra on the final day of qualifying.

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