Dick Advocaat Rangers Signed 12 x 8 Inch Photograph

Item is currently sold out!

Please use our contact form if you would like more information

Description

Dick Advocaat autographed Glasgow Rangers Signed 12 x 8 inch football photograph, signed by Dick Advocaat in black marker pen.

In 1998, Advocaat accepted the invitation from Rangers chairman David Murray to become the Scottish Premier League (SPL) team's new manager. Walter Smith was still in the job but had announced his departure in advance.

When Advocaat took charge of Rangers, he became the first foreign manager to do so and only the tenth manager in the history of the club. The previous season was the last of seven under Walter Smith, and the first time the club had finished without a trophy in 12 years. Long-term members of the squad that had won nine league championships in a row left, including Ally McCoist, Ian Durrant, Andy Goram and Stuart McCall. With financial backing from chairman David Murray, Advocaat invested heavily in the team. Big money signings such as Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Arthur Numan and Andrei Kanchelskis were among Advocaat's first as Rangers tried to regain the league championship. In Advocaat's first season, 1998–99, Rangers won the domestic treble, finishing six points above second-place Celtic in the league, defeating Celtic 1–0 in the Scottish Cup final, and defeating St. Johnstone 2–1 in the League Cup final. The club also had a short run in the UEFA Cup, where they reached the round of 16. In the following season, the club won the SPL by an SPL record 21-point margin, and also won the 1999–2000 Scottish Cup. Rangers fans paid tribute to Advocaat and the Dutch Rangers players at the 2000 Scottish Cup Final by wearing replica orange Netherlands international tops and other orange merchandise. Advocaat also guided Rangers into the UEFA Champions League, having beaten UEFA Cup winners Parma in the third round qualifier. However, Rangers went out of the group stage after being drawn alongside Bayern Munich, PSV and Valencia. The club then lost to Borussia Dortmund in a penalty shoot out in the UEFA Cup. Advocaat's third season at Rangers was less successful. Despite investment in the team with players such as Tore André Flo for a record £12 million, Rangers failed to win any trophies, as Celtic under new manager Martin O'Neill won the domestic treble. Advocaat branded some of his players "fat-necks" in the press. In Europe, Rangers qualified for the UEFA Champions league for the second consecutive season after two qualifying rounds. They were drawn alongside Sturm Graz, Galatasaray and Monaco. After good results against Sturm Graz and Monaco, the club failed to qualify for the next phase of the competition, finishing third behind Galatasaray on goal difference. Rangers then lost 3–0 to 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the UEFA Cup. In his last season at Rangers, with Celtic leading the SPL by 12 points, Advocaat resigned from the manager's position on 12 December 2001. His final match was a 1–1 draw against Hibernian. Alex McLeish was appointed as his successor, with Advocaat moving to the position of general manager. Advocaat eventually left Rangers for the Netherlands national team. More than a decade later, in March 2012, Advocaat's reign as manager came under scrutiny as Rangers entered administration. Advocaat defended the money spent on transfer fees and said he did not think the club would go bankrupt.