Van Basten impressed by De Boer

Heerenveen coach Marco van Basten has heaped praise on Frank de Boer for the work he has done since taking charge of Ajax in 2010.

Van Basten himself had a spell in charge of Ajax during the 2008/09 season, and says he is impressed by de Boer’s ability to stay away from club politics and focus purely on the team.

“I’m a trainer unlike Frank, but I think he’s doing very well,” van Basten told De Telegraaf.

“There are many people at Ajax who try to interfere with all sorts of things, but Frank remains very quiet. The power of Ajax is Frank de Boer for me.

“What Frank is at Ajax, I am here at Heerenveen. Things have happened with me at Ajax, but like Frank, I can now just focus on football.”

Van Basten also spoke about his future at Heerenveen after taking charge of the club at the start of the season and said he saw himself at the club beyond the current campaign.

“I’m not as concerned with that kind of long-term planning, but I have a contract for another season,” he said.

“I would like to keep coaching the students here a little while longer.”