Dick Advocaat, nicknamed the Little General, succeeded Walter Smith on 1 June 1998. Advocaat, former manager of PSV Eindhoven, became only Rangers' tenth manager and was the first non-Scot to hold the position. His appointment was viewed as reflecting a desire to begin to challenge Europe's elite clubs. David Murray, the club's owner and chairman, had long proclaimed that Rangers ought to be judged not just in relation to success in Scotland, but on performance in Europe, and especially in the UEFA Champions League. Despite being given resources on a scale never before handed to a Rangers manager, success on a larger stage failed to materialise, and the costly legacy of Advocaat's time at Ibrox was a debt that would cripple the club for years.