Van Bommel declines Netherlands recall

FCBayernNews · News fetcher Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 1361 votes: 2

02.10.2006

Mark van Bommel is to suspend his involvement with the Netherlands national squad, the Bayern newcomer announced on Sunday, revealing he is not prepared to appear in national colours under the current management team. "My differences with head coach Marco van Basten are too great," the 29-year-old revealed to fcbayern.de.

"We have noted Mark van Bommel's decision and are obliged to accept it," van Basten responded via official Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) channels. Van Basten had named van Bommel in his squad for the forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers against Bulgaria on 7 October and Albania on 11 October. The player was omitted from the Dutch set-up for the initial matches following the summer World Cup.

Coach in the crossfire

The midfielder insisted representing his country remained "a dream come true," and that his temporary retirement from the international scene was solely as a result of his personal dispute with van Basten. Van Bommel's announcement was preceded by a similar move from veteran Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who also named the Netherlands coaching staff as grounds for his withdrawal from the national set-up.

Van Nistelrooy, part of the Dutch squad at the World Cup alongside van Bommel, fired off a hefty verbal salvo at van Basten's selection policies, accusing the former world-class striker of cronyism. The ex-Manchester United goal-getter is the latest in a long line of experienced Dutch internationals, including Tottenham Hotspurs' Edgar Davids, to voice public criticism of van Basten's recent squad line-ups.

MUTU

He'll be fully concentrated on Bayern for the time being, which might be a good thing for us.

bogdan

great news for romania Laughing