Fuente: © UEFA (English)
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EURO 2008: Van Basten enjoying the ride

/noticias.info/ Like several coaches at UEFA EURO 2008™, Marco van Basten announced before the tournament that he would leave his post after the finals. As the AFC Ajax-bound Netherlands coach approaches Saturday's quarter-final against Russia in Basel, he is all too aware that every match could be his last in charge. "I realise that," he said. "So I am enjoying every game."

Comfortable passage
The pressure was off Van Basten late in the group stage as a 3-0 win against Italy and a 4-1 defeat of France meant the Netherlands clinched first place in their section even before they met Romania. They prevailed 2-0 in that match to ensure the best record of any team going into the knockout phase – completing a delirious week in Berne where an estimated 150,000 Dutch fans filled the Swiss federal capital, more than the city's population.

Enthusiasm
Van Basten, who sparked an even greater Oranje celebration two decades ago against the Soviet Union in the 1988 UEFA European Championship final, is grateful for the support, but is not letting it distract his squad. "We focus on football," the 43-year-old said. "Of course we understand that if you play well, have important matches and win, there is a lot of enthusiasm. And here we have seen a lot of orange shirts and Dutch supporters. I don't know what else is happening back in the Netherlands but we hear things."

Predecessor
In the 'away' dugout at St. Jakob-Park will be another Dutchman, one who made his reputation as a coach leading PSV Eindhoven to the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1988, the year Van Basten wrote his name into playing legend. The current Netherlands coach never played under the man who held the position from 1994 to 1998. Hiddink did, however, encourage Van Basten to take a coaching course at a time when the recently-retired forward was not sure if he was cut out for management. "He was not my reason to become a coach but when I thought about becoming a coach, I watched him and spoke to him," Van Basten said. "He has a great history and a lot of experience as a trainer so it is usual you watch good coaches. He is a good example of that but there are others I followed too." notas_de_prensa_archivo