Van Basten and his assistant John van't Schip will not extend their contracts which expire on June 30.
'After the World Cup finals last year we considered the coming Euro finals as a new challenge and after four years it will be time to work in a new environment,' Van Basten was quoted as saying in a Dutch FA statement. Van Basten succeeded Dick Advocaat in July 2004 and guided the Dutch side through an unbeaten 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign. At last year's finals the Netherlands lost to Portugal in the first knockout stage.
The Dutch qualified for the finals of Euro 2008 as group runners-up behind Romania and have been handed a tough assignment in Austria and Switzerland. They will play in Group C along with world champions Italy, France and Romania. 'It is a pity but I appreciate the fact that they informed us in time,' said KNVB director Henk Kesler. 'We will have time to see who will succeed them and Marco (van Basten) and John (van't Schip) made clear that they will focus completely on the coming tournament.' Van Basten's decision has already triggered speculation about his future and who will succeed him as coach of the Netherlands team that will face Scotland, Norway, Macedonia and Iceland in the qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup.
Van Basten became Netherlands coach on the recommendation of Johan Cruyff, who is an advisor to the Dutch FA and Ajax. Foppe de Haan, 64, has been named by Dutch media as being among the candidates to take over the Netherlands job. De Haan guided the Netherlands Under-21 side to two successive European titles in 2006 and 2007 and is preparing his team for the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol, who was sacked by the Premier League club in October, was also tipped to be among the likely candidates although KNVB director Kesler is on record saying Jol would not be an option if Van Basten quit.
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