Soccer-Van Basten to be unveiled as new AZ Alkmaar coach-reports
REUTERS - Former Netherlands coach Marco van Basten has agreed a two-year contract to take over as manager of Dutch top flight club AZ Alkmaar next season, according to local media on Friday. The deal will be formally announced next week but was widely reported as AZ concluded their search for a replacement for Dick Advocaat, who is leaving at the end of the campaign. The 49-year-old Van Basten, a former European Footballer of the Year, is also departing his job at Heerenveen at the end of the season next month, with the ex-Netherlands striker having announced in January that he would not sign a new deal. Advocaat, who like Van Basten is a former Netherlands coach, announced last month that he would not be staying at AZ after taking them to the Europa League quarter-finals. Van Basten's coaching career began with Ajax Amsterdam's reserves in 2003 and a year later he became Netherlands manager, staying from 2004 to 2008, after which he spent one year at Ajax before taking a three-year break and then joining Heerenveen. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ken Ferris)
