Guus Hiddink has started his new adventure as national coach of Curaçao since last week. The already 74-year-old trainer realizes that his impressive career will come to an end, but still enjoys the profession too much. "The World Cup in Qatar would be a nice last trick," he told Algemeen Dagblad.
The fact that Hiddink still embarked on such an adventure at the age of 74 raised the necessary eyebrows. "I consciously had not stopped as a trainer. I feel that I still really enjoy being among those guys on the field. That remains the best. As long as I can do that with the body and especially with the head, why would I then? Say goodbye? Because other people think it's time? "
"Look, I am of course not crazy", the trainer continued. "What you have to prevent is that people say: 'There you have it again, the familiar picture is being turned gray again.' I have very carefully put people from my surroundings on it, who will keep an eye on that for me. then you have to stop, but I am not yet a Pompeii, where the ashes have long been covered. When a rondo is played on the training field, I still participate with the left leg. "
Hiddink is ambitious when it comes to his new job. He hopes to be able to reach the World Cup with Curaçao. "That is the goal, we are working on that, but I have to add it right away: it is a long way and certainly not an easy one. To eventually get there, we have to measure ourselves against countries such as Mexico and the United States. But I sometimes think of Leo Beenhakker on these days. He was suddenly at the World Cup in Germany with Trinidad and Tobago, with only captain Dwight Yorke as the big name.
Sources: FCUpdate, 21 November, 2020.