"No surprise" Guus Hiddink out as Dutch manager

Guus Hiddink's departure as Oranje football coach came as no surprise to both former football player Ronald de Boer and sports journalist Jack van Gelder. According to Van Gelder, things were bad for Hiddink from the start, when he took over from Louis van Gaal after the World Cup. "It didn't work from the start and the results were bad." Van Gelder said in Sporza, blaming the big differences in methods between Hiddink and Van Gaal. "That creates a distance between the coach and group, coach and federation, coach and press and coach and public. Then at some point it is just over and out. His departure does not surprise me." "It is very unfortunate because Guus is an amiable person with a tremendous service. But the past nine months with the Dutch team were just not good", Van Gelder said. Ronald de Boer also knew from the start that Hiddink was not functioning well. "You noticed on day one - the practice game in Italy - already it was not working", De Boer said to the Telegraaf. "You have to know when to stop. And Hiddink clearly did not. If you get in at his age, the risk of failure is high. It may be that he thought the World Cup would be an ideal starting point. But then he - thanks to third place - gambled wrong." De Boer criticized the KNVB's choice and Hiddink's methods from the first, but he is sorry about the coach's inglorious farewell. "I am especially sorry for Guus. Based on the past I have great respect for him." Hiddink will be replaced by his assistant Danny Blind.