Ronald Koeman delivers an update on his future as Netherlands head coach amid his wife’s cancer diagnosis.
Ronald Koeman has confirmed that he intends to continue in his role as Netherlands head coach despite his wife’s recent cancer diagnosis.
The 66-year-old is enjoying his second spell in charge of the Oranje and has won 13 of his 20 matches since taking the reins in January 2023.
Koeman managed to guide his Dutch team into the Euro 2024 knockout rounds despite finishing third in the group stage, and they have since progressed to the semi-finals after beating Romania and Turkey in the last 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
Prior to this summer’s tournament, Koeman’s wife Bartina was diagnosed with breast cancer, a decade on from beating the disease after undergoing surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Bartina has insisted that she is up for the fight once again and has never considered asking her “professional nut” husband to stay at home during her recovery.
Speaking last month, Bartina said: “My breast cancer is now back. I want to be open about that because I hope I might be able to help other women with a similar type of cancer. I first had it in 2010. Then I had surgery, chemo and radiotherapy. After that, the cancer was gone.
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“But in 2018, my neck was bothering me. I thought it was whiplash. It turned out I had metastasis in the spine. After more chemo, the cancer stayed away, but on a scan they saw activity again. Every three to four weeks I have to be in the Netherlands for treatment at the Amsterdam Cancer Hospital.”
“I am a strong woman and I can handle this,” she added. “I don’t run around whining and complaining all day because I am very independent. I so hope that Ronald will be rewarded for his hard work and that he will go very far at the European Championship. I hope we become champions. Ronald loves his job. He is a professional nut.”
Dutch boss Koeman is now just one game away from leading his side into their first European Championship final since they won the competition back in 1988, coincidently on German soil.
Koeman, who was a playing member of that triumphant Netherlands squad, is due to see his contract with the national team expire after this summer’s tournament, but he is planning to continue as head coach and wants to lead the team at the 2026 World Cup.
“As it is now. I don’t think they can get rid of me anymore,” Koeman told Dutch news outlet De Telegraaf when asked about his future.
On his wife’s cancer diagnosis, Koeman added: “My wife’s health is okay. She does have treatments, but that is no reason to stop being a trainer.”
Koeman is currently preparing his Netherlands side for a semi-final showdown with England, who have won only one game out of five in 90 minutes at Euro 2024 and edged past Switzerland 5-3 on penalties in the quarter-finals following a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes.
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