MIAMI, Florida – For Remko Bicentini, it feels great to be back home. The 54-year-old Dutchman is back as Head Coach of the Curacao National Team and is hoping to lead the Caribbean side to new heights.
Bicentini served as an assistant coach of Curacao beginning in 2007 before taking the reins as Head Coach from 2016-20. A coaching change was made in 2020, but this past August Bicentini was once again tabbed as the main man on the touchline.
“It feels great. Curacao is my home. I had been with Curacao from 2007 until 2020. We grew a lot in that time, we won the Caribbean Championship, we went to the Gold Cup, we played in the Nations League A, all of those things were historic for Curacao, so Curacao is in my heart,” said Bicentini in an exclusive interview with Concacaf.com.
“They made a coaching change in 2020, but this year they wanted me back, so for me it’s great because I am doing what I want, which is to be the head coach of Curacao,” added Bicentini.
Perhaps most satisfying for Bicentini is being reunited with players he has known for the duration of their careers.
“Some of these players I met for the first time in 2007 or 2008, so I have been with them a very long time. For example, Cuco Martina, my captain, he started in the national team when I began with Curacao as an assistant coach and we have built a lot of good things with each other in that time. This is like going back home because I know the players, the players know me, and we know from each other what we can do for Curacao and its people,” said Bicentini.
Curacao made a lot of history under the guidance of Bicentini. There was a first ever Caribbean Cup title in June 2017, which qualified for the island for its first ever Concacaf Gold Cup that same summer.
Two years later in their second Gold Cup appearance in 2019, Bicentini led Curacao to not only their first Gold Cup victory in a 1-0 group stage win versus Honduras, but also their first knockout round appearance, where they narrowly fell 1-0 to the United States in the quarterfinals.
Curacao also qualified for League A of the inaugural Concacaf Nations League in 2019-20 and finished second in their group to retain their League A status for the current 2022-23 edition.
Continuing in League A while also casting an eye toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America are the primary goals driving Bicentini forward.
“Our absolute goal is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, but now our goal is also to stay in Nations League A and go to the Gold Cup. The last half-year for Curacao was not what they wanted, they lost two games against Canada and Honduras, and now we play an important game in March against Canada. We want to play in the Nations League A and we want to go to the Gold Cup. That’s our goal, but the most important goal is the long-term objective of the 2026 World Cup. I have a period to build up the new setup for that,” said Bicentini.
Curacao have little margin for error going into that March 25 contest against Canada. Bicentini’s men are currently third in the group with three points, behind first-place Honduras (6 points) and second-place Canada (3 points), with the Canadians owning a better goal difference.
A Curacao victory against the Canadians will be paramount prior to the group’s final game between Canada and Honduras three days later.
“I know Canada very well. My focus is for that match. It is very important for us and the players know that. We have a very strong team and we have to play a good match in March. It’s a big game for us and for Canada, too. We have to win to stay in Nations League A and qualify for the Gold Cup,” said Bicentini.
Bicentini’s first matches back with Curacao came last month in a pair of friendlies with Indonesia in Indonesia. Bicentini fielded a squad largely comprised of young players and came away pleased with the effort of his team despite narrowly falling in both games, 3-2 and 2-1.
“In Indonesia I got to meet some of the boys for the first time. We have a lot of new boys, we played against Indonesia because 15 players I can select for the national team were not there because they were playing matches in their domestic leagues.
“I think they were two good games. I had a lot of new players with me who were playing for Curacao for the first time. I think if I had all of my usual players it would have been a different game, but we learned a lot and it was good for our team and the future. I’m so glad our young players got to play with us for the first time. It was a good experience for them,” concluded Bicentini.
With an experienced hand in Bicentini back at the helm of the National Team, things are once again looking bright for Curacao.
Curaçao 🇨🇼 wants to win its first game ever and make it as far as possible in #GoldCup #GoldCup2019 #ThisIsOurs #EstoEsNuestro pic.twitter.com/7NtWXcgK7w
— Gold Cup (@GoldCup) April 30, 2019
