SOUTH KOREA COACH:Dick Advocaat

Dick Advocaat, who directed the Netherlands to a quarterfinal finish at USA '94, was named South Korea coach on September 14, 2005, replacing countryman Jo Bonfrere, who resigned a month prior because of poor results. He was under increased fire despite qualifying Korea. "That's the reason I took the job,' he said. "Because of the challenge." Born September 27, 1947, Advocaat forged a reputation as a hard-working and temperamental midfielder for several club teams, including O Den Haag, Roda J.C., Sparta Rotterdam, and F.C. Utrecht in the Netherlands, as well as the Chicago Sting of the North American Soccer League. He turned to coaching at 32 at Haarlem and S.V.V. He went on coach Glasgow Rangers (Scotland), PSV Eindhoven, the Netherlands again (at Euro 2004), Borussia Moenchengladbach (Germany) and the United Arab Emirates, from whom he resigned to take over South Korea. A disciple of the late, great Rinus Michels, Advocaat was nicknamed the "Little General." (Michels was called "The General.") Advocaat guided the Dutch to the 2004 semifinals, but he was criticized by the media for his controversial tactics (for example, using an aging midfielder Paul Bosvelt in place of fan favorite Arjen Robben). He eventually was forced to resign on July 6, 2004, after receiving death threat.