Dick Advocaat says he regrets quitting Rangers

[WilliamFyfe 1,438]

Dick Advocaat has spoken for the first time of his regret at quitting the Rangers hot-seat too soon - and insisted he could have confronted and overcome Martin O'Neill's Celtic revolution.

The former Ibrox coach, whose AZ Alkmaar side beat Celtic 2-1 in last night's Parkhead friendly, claimed: 'Of course I could have beaten O'Neill. In Glasgow it's Rangers, Celtic, Celtic, Rangers and so on.

That will go on until the end of the world. So in a moment it could have changed again because we had an excellent team. I bought (Shota) Arveladze, I bought (Ronald) de Boer and a year later Rangers were champions again. In that period they were not injured and they were great players.'

The Dutchman, recalling his decision to move aside for Alex McLeish after reaching the last 16 of the UEFA Cup in 2001, said: 'I quit as manager and started talking with David because I felt so tired. I said, if we come through against Paris St Germain, then it's better that I stop. David was also in a period when he wanted to stop.

'Now, after knowing everything, that was a weak moment. I could definitely have gone on.

'We were still in the UEFA Cup and the Scottish Cup and only 13 points behind Celtic. Looking back it was not a good decision - but, at the time, it seemed a good decision.

'Looking back I still had two years to go and should have stayed. I regret it.

'But Alex came then and I became a director and after six months the national team of Holland came for me. Had I still been coach of Rangers, I could not have gone back to Holland, so it worked out.'

Advocaat, who is set to bow out of club football to lead the Russian national team, is widely perceived to have lost the Old Firm battle as soon as O'Neill arrived at Parkhead. Still possessed of top-quality players such as de Boer and Arveladze, the Dutchman handed the reins over to McLeish but now admits he should have honoured the two years remaining on his Rangers contract.

'McLeish was my No1 choice as replacement and also David's,' added Advocaat. 'We let him come to David's house to find out about the job and he was ready for it. I like him and he is a good person, as well. He did very well and we stay in touch.'

Former Rangers chairman Sir David Murray did make an attempt to bring Advocaat back to Glasgow as a replacement for McLeish at the end of 2007, but he insists that his time had already gone by then.

'I could never imagine coming back to manage Rangers, not any more.'

As for the present incumbent and the stormy road ahead, Advocaat is in no doubt about who should be boss. 'Walter Smith has to go on,' he said. 'He is Mr Rangers and what he has done is unbelievable.

'A couple of years ago when David was still chairman and there were some problems with Alex, he asked me if I would take over again. I said I would do for only half a year, but then Walter came in after leaving the national team.

'I'm 62 now and if I come back to Glasgow it will only be to visit. I don't want to be involved in club football any more. It's too intense.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1269637/Advocaat-I-left-soon--Dick-regrets-timing-Ibrox-exit.html#ixzz0mReaH4sr

[KingKirk 21,727]

Tbh mate I think the wee man was ok

had us playing some mouth watering football

[TravelingWilBEARy 4,319]

Advocaats first 2 years in charge were the most exciting I can remember supporting Rangers

Long term repercussions weren't great but at the time it was fantastic

[wearethemighty 186]

Never had a bad thing to say about him and dont think I ever will. The mans a tactical genius!

Should come back and fix scottish football!

[Cumbria_blue 51]

I think it was Ralph Brand who once said that if Advocaat had been in charge of the Rangers team of the early 60s then they would have won the European cup.

But I always thought that Advocaat just lost it whenever O'neill took over at septic. His last 18 months were just a shambles, stuff like losing 2-0 at home to Dundee and Dundee UTD in consecutive home games and incredibly bizarre signings like Alan Johnston, Paul Ritchie and Marcus Gayle. Spending 12m on Flo seemed a bit like a panic buy as well. Plus Im sure at one stage we lost about 5 consecutive OF derby games towards the end of his reign and we were gong backwards imo. He was right to leave and let McLeish take over and give the club a new lease of life.

[BlueSuedeSambas 42,500]

I'm glad he didn't come back.

He took us as far as he could and he left at the correct time

[martyboy2009 11]

With the team he built we underachiever greatly in Europe! The bayern game away was just plain bad luck tho, totally gutting.

[Blue Stars Bearette 1]

some great footie but we had money then

still cringe at the 11 mill we gave out for Flo

[Boab 73]

still cringe at the 11 mill we gave out for Flo

Got half the money back and he had a great goalscoring record.

[Boab 73]

On Mr Advocaat, I'm still a massive admirer, his was the best Rangers team I've seen in my lifetime and arguably the best Rangers Manager in my lifetime.

[dundeebear3 0]

Wouldnt want Dick Advocaat anywhere near our club again. Spent a fortune, almost bankrupting us in the process.

[barcelonabear 22]

Wouldnt want Dick Advocaat anywhere near our club again. Spent a fortune, almost bankrupting us in the process.

He spent the money SDM gave him to spend. What was he meant to do, knock it back? Have us mirror Arsenal - a good team who just fell short because they never invested enough. Our financial mess is down to Murray, not Advocaat. McClelland had the debt back down before Murray came back to the club and oh wait what happened? Oh yes more debt.

[dazzapat 83]

With the team he built we underachiever greatly in Europe! The bayern game away was just plain bad luck tho, totally gutting.

The injury to Mols in that game killed us off imo.

We were all over them in that game and so unlucky

Bayern V Rangers

[Boab 73]

Wouldnt want Dick Advocaat anywhere near our club again. Spent a fortune, almost bankrupting us in the process.

He spent the money SDM gave him to spend. What was he meant to do, knock it back? Have us mirror Arsenal - a good team who just fell short because they never invested enough. Our financial mess is down to Murray, not Advocaat. McClelland had the debt back down before Murray came back to the club and oh wait what happened? Oh yes more debt.

[BlueSuedeSambas 42,500]

Advocaats isn't totally free from blame.

He spent stupid money and have stupid contracts to a number of piss poor players.

The guys a cheque book manager and for that reason I wouldn't want him near our club again.

[papaguy51 912]

More success for a tenth of the cost with Walter, although we did play better football under Advocaat.

[FUDGIE52 9]

What a stupid comment.....................'We were still in the UEFA Cup and the Scottish Cup and only 13 points behind Celtic. Looking back it was not a good decision - but, at the time, it seemed a good decision."

13 points behind the vermin at the turn of the year, you deserved to go Dick. With all the money he was spending we should never have been in that position. Both he and mostly Murray chased a dream the CL and have almost ruined our club, todays problems all steems from their over spending dispite the good players he brought to Rangers we never got anywhere near the CL final, and if Rangers go down its due to both these cretins for spending cash we never had so thanks Dick and Dave, for fuck all.

[Tumshie 205]

It was the right time to go. Gave us two years of fabulous football and one and a half years of pish. The PSG game was the perfect send-off for him. He might have squandered a helluva lot of money but he did gave us classy players like Van Bronckhorst, Reyna, Numan, Mols and de Boer to enjoy.

The 1999/00 team before Mols got injured was the best Rangers team I've seen, and probably ever likely to see, at Ibrox

[Tumshie 205]

On Mr Advocaat, I'm still a massive admirer, his was the best Rangers team I've seen in my lifetime and arguably the best Rangers Manager in my lifetime.

The best Rangers manager in your lifetime is the current one. Advocaat couldn't beat Martin O'Neill

[Jimbeamjunior 20,092]

More success for a tenth of the cost with Walter, although we did play better football under Advocaat.

aye but back then papa, our main rivals were a country mile better than they are just now

oneill spent 30million on 6 players iirc, the whole celtic team now couldnt get 30million

[martyboy2009 11]

Michael mols - if he hadn't got injured I really think he could of been a true rangers great.

[Misteral 2,755]

He was very good for a while then he made a few mistakes with signings and probably lost confidence in himself and in the club as well, if what he says about Murray wanting out at that time is true. The promised land never materialsed, and wasn't going to under the Dick and David show, after the Bayern match.

[caseyjones 3,009]

On Mr Advocaat, I'm still a massive admirer, his was the best Rangers team I've seen in my lifetime and arguably the best Rangers Manager in my lifetime.

The best Rangers manager in your lifetime is the current one. Advocaat couldn't beat Martin O'Neill

This statement shows why Rangers will never be challenging consistently on the European stage.

[chris_glasgow 2]

On Mr Advocaat, I'm still a massive admirer, his was the best Rangers team I've seen in my lifetime and arguably the best Rangers Manager in my lifetime.

:anguish:

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Tactical awareness and forward thinking Dick Advocaat was the best manager we've had in my lifetime. Walter is a man manager and that works extremely well with the Scottish mentally.

If we could, would I swap managers at the end of the season if we could?

It's a tough call, cause we would risk breaking up the strong unity in this squad with a strict training regime... But saying that Advocaat would be able to spot and develop youth players like Fleck to a new level.