Dutch duo ignore van Basten overtures

Dutch midfielder Mark Van Bommel looks dejected at the end of the World Cup 2006 round of 16 football game Portugal vs. Netherlands, June 2006. Van Bommel said he no longer wants to play for the Dutch national team while Marco van Basten is in charge.

Bayern Munich midfielder Mark van Bommel has said he no longer wants to play for the Dutch national team while Marco van Basten is in charge.

The 29-year-old van Bommel was a suprise call-up for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Albania on October 7 and 11, but said on his homepage www.markvanbommel.nl that he was not prepared to play for van Basten Monday.

Van Basten, part of the Dutch team that won the 1988 European championships, included van Bommel in his World Cup squad but the pair did not see eye-to-eye as the Netherlands lost 1-0 to Portugal at the last 16 stage.

Van Bommel made his international debut against Cyprus in October 2000 and has played 34 times for his country scoring seven goals.

Real Madrid striker van Nistelrooy was also called up, as a replacement for the injured Klaas Jan Huntelaar, however he too has turned down the Dutch Football Association (KNVB).

Van Basten made a surprise phone call to van Nistelrooy over the weekend, but failed in his bid to lure the ex-Manchester United forward, who had recently criticised the national coaching staff, back to the squad.

Van Basten said that no players would be called up to replace van Bommel and Huntelaar.