Ex-Man United boss ‘unavailable’ for national team role as options narrow after disastrous World Cup

The Netherlands might be one of FIFA’s top-ranked national teams, but following their disastrous World Cup campaign in North America, it seems the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) may struggle to find a replacement for now-ex-head coach Ronald Koeman.

After topping Group F in a relatively unconvincing fashion, Koeman led his side into the Round of 32, where they faced 2022 semifinalists Morocco. There, the former Barcelona legend opted to move away from the 4-3-3 system they are renowned for, in favor of a 5-2-3, which often left already injured key playmaker Frenkie De Jong isolated at the center of the pitch.

With the back line and attack failing to connect, Morocco dominated virtually every meaningful statistic barring the most important one, with the game finishing 1-1 after extra time. Ultimately, the AFCON champions would beat Oranje on penalties, marking their earliest World Cup exit since 2006 (excluding 2018, when they did not qualify).

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Koeman subsequently resigned, explaining his decision in a lengthy Instagram post, in which he said, “We all shared the dream of making history at this World Cup, but we fell short. No one is more disappointed by that than I am. As head coach, the responsibility ultimately rests with me.”

Focus immediately turned to who would replace Koeman, who, so far, is one of 12 national team head coaches to depart their roles during the ongoing World Cup.

Rumors were quick to spread, suggesting the likes of Jürgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, Erik ten Hag, and Peter Bosz. However, with Klopp set to take on the Germany job after Julian Nagelsmann resigned following their Round of 32 exit, and Guardiola having previously made it clear that after leaving Manchester City he is in need of a sabbatical, options seemingly immediately began to thin.

In the days since, two more candidates have ruled themselves out, perhaps most notably, ex-Manchester United and Ajax boss Ten Hag. Currently the technical director for Eredivisie side FC Twente, the 56-year-old recently told RTV Oost, “No, I am not available at the moment.”

He continued, “That is because I made this choice—it was a deliberate decision. I weighed the options. I stepped into this role and am working to help this club move forward, and I am fully committed to that.”

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Asked to confirm if his commitment was for at least the next two years, Ten Hag confirmed that was the case.

This followed PSV manager Bosz also ruling himself out of contention during an interview with ESPN NL. Discussing his managerial career beyond the next two years during which he is set to remain at the reigning back-to-back-to-back Eredivisie champions, the 62-year-old said, “I’ve worked for some very fine clubs abroad, but never at the absolute peak.

“And when I speak of the absolute peak, I’m referring to perhaps six or seven clubs that I [would consider] Europe to be at the absolute peak. I don’t expect them to come calling for me. But if such a club were to approach me, I can imagine I would give it very serious consideration.”

Bosz was then quizzed on whether this stance also applied to the Dutch national team, for which he played eight times, to which he replied, “After those two years, yes, then I can think about that properly, yes.”

As such, proven head coaches who are also available appear few and far between. With this in mind, they may want to follow in the footsteps of Spain and look to promote from within.

Between 2013 and 2022, current senior team boss Luis de la Fuente worked his way up from coaching the Under-19s to the Under-23s before taking charge of the first team in 2022. He has gone on to win both the UEFA European Championships and the Nations League, whilst they remain in the hunt for the current World Cup.

Since 2023, former Barcelona star Michael Reiziger, 53, has been in charge of the Netherlands’ Under-21s, during which time he has led his side to 15 wins, nine draws, and nine defeats. This includes a semifinal run at the Under-21 European Championships in 2025, where they were ultimately knocked out by the eventual winners, England.

What could work in Reiziger's favor is that the Dutch national team is likely to undergo somewhat of a youth transformation in the not-too-distant future, given that captain Virgil van Dijk, record goalscorer Memphis Depay, Denzel Dumfries, Nathan Aké, Wout Weghorst, and Marten de Roon - all of whom were in this summer's squad - are aged 30 or above. As such, bringing in a coach with an existing connection with the next generation could be hugely beneficial.

The fact of the matter is that while the dust has barely settled on their World Cup campaign, there is no time to waste in appointing Koeman's replacement, with another European Championship just two years away.