Koeman is ‘proud’ to take top Oranje job, sets sights on Euro 2020

A beaming Ronald Koeman on Tuesday. Photo: Maurice van Steenn/VI/HH

As expected, Ronald Koeman has been appointed new manager of the Dutch national football team.

‘I have never made a secret of my ambition to coach the Dutch national team at some point,’ Koeman said at Tuesday’s press conference. ‘It is a great challenge and a real honour to be Oranje’s coach in the coming years.’

Koeman was sacked three months ago by English club Everton and the Dutch football association KNVB has been searching for a new manager for Oranje since Dick Advocaat left in November. He was ditched after the Dutch failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup in Russia.

Koeman, a former Dutch international with 78 caps, was first tipped as a potential manager after the 2014 World Cup, in which Louis van Gaal led Oranje to second place.

The KNVB’s head of professional football Eric Gudde said in a statement that Koeman and Nico-Jan Hoogma, the new head of top level football, are ‘passionate, with plenty of foreign experience and are real team players.’

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