Marco van Basten criticises KNVB over Xavi's appointment as Netherlands manager
Legendary striker Marco van Basten has voiced disapproval of the KNVB's decision to hire Xavi, arguing that the Netherlands should rely on home-grown coaches.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC0 / Author: Bart Molendijk / Anefo
Marco van Basten has expressed strong disapproval following the KNVB's decision to appoint a foreign manager for the Netherlands national team. Speaking on Radio JOE's Coen & Sander Show, the legendary striker voiced his frustration over Xavi Hernández taking charge on a four-year contract.
This appointment marks the first time a foreign coach has led the Oranje since Ernst Happel in the 1970s. Van Basten believes this historic shift highlights a major underlying failure within the country's coaching development system.
I would prefer to have a Dutch coach. Because surely we should be able to produce that in the Netherlands, it seems to me. Marco van Basten
Despite acknowledging Xavi's pedigree as a player, van Basten maintained that the national team should strictly be guided by a compatriot. The former Oranje manager also confirmed he has no interest in returning to the dugout himself, insisting his days in coaching are firmly behind him.
Reflecting on the broader state of Dutch football, van Basten noted that while he enjoys watching Feyenoord and PSV succeed, seeing his beloved Ajax struggle brings him pain. As Xavi and his backroom staff, including Ruud van Nistelrooy, prepare to lead the national team into a new era, debates surrounding foreign leadership and domestic identity continue to dominate the conversation in the Netherlands.