Van Basten plays down van Nistelrooy squad omission

Dutch coach Marco van Basten has said his decision to omit Ruud Van Nistelrooy from the squad for tonight's friendly against Ireland is not a permanent decision.

The former Manchester United has been left out of the squad as van Basten continues to focus on developing his younger stars.

The Dutch boss, however, said last night that the omission did not spell the end of van Nistelrooy's international career.

"In football, you never know what's going to happen in about six months," he said, "so it's not something definitive, but at this moment we have made a choice."