Ajax Amsterdam have received a formal approach about the possibility of reserve team coaches Marco van Basten and John van't Schip becoming the new Dutch national team coach and assistant.

"Ajax has been formally approached by Henk Kesler (manager) of the KNVB (Dutch soccer association) with regard to appointing a new national coach," the club said in statement on Wednesday.

The post of Netherlands coach is vacant after Dick Advocaat stepped down following fierce criticism of their Euro 2004 campaign, in which they reached the semi-finals before losing to hosts Portugal.

Ajax director Arie van Eijden said: "Ajax is proud of the fact that members of the technical staff of Ajax are being considered to lead the Dutch eleven.

"If it comes to that, Ajax would be sorry about the departure of both trainers."

According to Dutch media reports, influential Netherlands soccer great Johan Cruyff proposed Van Basten and Van't Schip at a meeting with the KNVB on Monday.

Van Basten said on Tuesday he would not turn down an offer to become the new Dutch coach but would not say more until the KNVB had contacted Ajax.

One of his country's greatest strikers, 39-year-old Van Basten played for Ajax and AC Milan before persistent ankle problems forced him to quit in 1995.

Van Basten would be the second national coach from the 1988 European Championship-winning team after Frank Rijkaard, who was in charge of the Dutch squad between 1998 and 2000.