Advocaat being lined up as Koeman's successor

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THE HAGUE, Dec 6, 2009 (AFP) - Veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat is reported to be poring over a contract offer from AZ Alkmaar that would see him replace Ronald Koeman as coach of the Dutch champions.

Koeman was sacked on Saturday just six months after his appointment as successor to Louis van Gaal.

AZ, who currently sit fourth and last in their Champions League group, said Advocaat, currently the coach of Belgium's national side, had pledged to make a decision early in the week.

The club, however, told local media through its sports director Marcel Brands: "It is still too early to say that the deal is done."

If he agrees, Advocaat - who counts stints at PSV Eindhoven, Rangers, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Zenit Saint-Petersburg and the Dutch national team on his CV - would combine both roles.

Koeman's sacking came after Friday's 2-1 loss to Vitesse Arnhem, which left AZ in sixth place, 16 points adrift of Dutch first division leaders FC Twente.

AZ said they hoped to announce a replacement "as quickly as possible".

But Koeman, who stepped in after van Gaal's move to Bayern Munich, was disappointed: "Friday's game against Vitesse was bad, I accept that. But this decision has disappointed me greatly."

Former Dutch international Koeman started his coaching career as Guus Hiddink's right-hand man with the national team from 1997-1998.

He was also second-in-command at Barcelona from 1998-2000 before taking over at Vitesse Arnhem in 2000.

Koeman has also coached Dutch giants Ajax (2001-2005), Benfica (2005-2006), PSV Eindhoven (2006-2007) and then Valencia (2007-2008).