Marco van Basten is to step down as Dutch national football coach after next year’s European championship.

The Dutch football association said in a statement that Van Basten and assistant coach John van’t Schip will leave after next June’s tournament in Austria and Switzerland.
‘Once Euro 2008 is over we will have led the Dutch national squad with a great deal of pleasure,’ Van Basten told the NRC. ‘After four years, it is time to move on. And even though John and I have no idea what the future will bring us, we feel it is only right to let the football association know now [that we are leaving].’
Van Basten, a former European and world footballer of the year, has been criticised for lacking insight and for his rows with senior players. Nevertheless Oranje has a record of 28 wins, 10 draws and five losses since he took over from Dick Advocaat after the 2004 European championship.
Wednesday’s Telegraaf reports that four serious candidates have emerged to take over the top job in Dutch football: Frank Rijkaard (currently with Barcelona), Bert van Marwijk (Feyenoord in Rotterdam), Fred Rutten (FC Twente) and Co Adriaanse (Al Sadd Qatar).
The paper says a decision on a new coach will be made within the next six months.