After finishing second to champions Ajax in the Eredivisie, and losing the cup final to AZ, Advocaat announced his retirement from club coaching at the end of the 2012–13 season. However, on 15 October 2013, he returned to AZ to succeed the sacked Gertjan Verbeek. He was replaced at the end of the season by Marco van Basten. AZ finished the season in eighth place. He also reached the semi–finals of the KNVB Cup and the quarter–finals of the Europa League.
