Former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has resigned as Netherlands manager after their World Cup exit.
The news came as it emerged earlier on Tuesday that Dutch players who missed penalties were racially abused online.
Koeman’s side were knocked out by Morocco in a last-32 shootout after a 1-1 draw in Monterrey.
Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville all missed their efforts and were subjected to discriminatory, racist and hateful comments on social media, said the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB).
Koeman, 63, has stepped down from his second spell in charge of the national side and hinted that he may have ended his managerial career altogether.
He said on Instagram, external: “Looking back on my career, I feel especially proud. I have worked with clubs and people that shaped me and gave me memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.
“We all dreamed of a World Cup in which we would write history. That didn’t work out. No-one is more disappointed about that than me.
“The past years have made me realise again that there are more important things than football. Football has been my life, but health is priceless. When someone you love is fighting a tough battle, your perspective changes.”
Koeman’s wife Bartina, external has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Meanwhile, the KNVB said it would seek criminal charges against anyone who had abused its players.
“We find this appalling,” the FA said., external
“Once a report is filed, legal staff assess whether the statement constitutes a punishable offence. This can lead to a formal complaint being lodged with the Public Prosecution Service, which may then initiate a criminal investigation.”
England’s Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho suffered abuse after missing penalties in the European Championship final defeat by Italy in 2021.
That led to two people being sentenced to prison and another receiving a suspended sentence.
“Football brings together millions of different people, whereas discrimination does the exact opposite. It therefore runs counter to everything football stands for,” added the KNVB.
Koeman’s contract was expiring anyway, but he feels it is a good time to step away. His wife is ill at the moment so he wants to spend time with her, which is a big part of it.
He had two terms. He came in 2018 and was considered a real success. He brought in players like Frenkie de Jong and they were winning Nations League games against teams like France and Germany.
They qualified for the Euros, which got postponed, and then he got the chance to manage Barcelona.
When he came back as Netherlands manager, things have just been more difficult from the start. He just hasn’t been able to convince.
He has been considered by many as being too defensive. Against Morocco, he went with five defenders, which he hadn’t played for a long time. That needed a real adjustment. That was remarkable – it was allowing Morocco to play.
His second campaign never got going. They did draw with Spain twice in Nations League games and we saw they could play, but that is the biggest disappointment that we never got to that level again.
After the game it was clear he would leave and that Holland would need a new start.
Source: BBC
