As expected, Dick Advocaat is to take charge of the Dutch national football team for the third time, with former international Ruud Gullit as his assistant.

Advocaat, who is 69, replaces Danny Blind who was sacked after the Netherlands was beaten by Bulgaria in a crucial World Cup qualifier. Oranje are are now fourth after five Group A games and six points behind the leaders France.

According to the Guardian, technical director Hans van Breukelen told a news conference on Tuesday: ‘There were two scenarios. We opt for the longer term or we do everything that is possible to get to the 2018 World Cup. We chose the second scenario. It had to be a very experienced professional, preferably an authority.’

Advocaat will leave his current job as Fenerbahce in Turkey to take the job ahead of the key match against Luxembourg on June 9. He previously coached Oranje in 1992-94 and 2002-04 and has had three spells as an assistant.