Doke Schmidt has launched a scathing attack on Marco van Basten, whom he claims was his worst manager. The 33-year-old Frisian made these comments in an interview with Omrop Fryslân.
Van Basten was in charge at sc Heerenveen between 2012 and 2014, when Schmidt was the right-back for De Superfriezen.
Schmidt has also had Ron Jans, Dwight Lodeweges and Foppe de Haan as coaches during his football career. The full-back hung up his boots in 2024.
When Schmidt is asked who his worst coach was, he seems to have no doubt whatsoever. “Purely as a coach, it was Van Basten.”
The former professional footballer is blunt, but notes that this is nothing new for the legendary Oranje striker to hear. “Van Basten himself later admitted that coaching wasn’t for him.”
“As a person, there was nothing wrong with him; it was just that coaching wasn’t his thing,” continues Schmidt, who believes it makes sense that a great footballer should be given the chance to coach. “Someone with such status in Dutch football simply has to be given the chance to see how it goes.”
Van Basten made his debut as head coach of the Dutch national team in 2004 and led the Oranje to the round of 16 at the World Cup (2006) and the European Championship (2008). The former striker for Ajax and AC Milan subsequently became manager at Ajax and moved via Heerenveen to AZ, before bringing his managerial career to a close in 2014.