van Persie wants Bert van Marwijk to stay as Netherlands coach

Robin van Persie has backed Bert van Marwijk to extend his stay as coach of the Netherlands national team.

Van Marwijk's contract expires after Euro 2012 but Arsenal forward Van Persie says he wants him to stay on at least until the 2014 World Cup.

He told Voetbal International: "He works as a coach, not a manager who sits back and occasionally says something. It works well and I hope that we can make progress with him after Euro 2012."

The striker added: "The coach makes players better. Every time I have been with the national team, he challenges us as a group and me individually.

"He keeps everyone sharp and demands that we are on the top of our game. That's clever as not every coach knows the right chord to strike with their players. Van Marwijk manages that."

Van Marwijk led the Dutch to the final of the 2010 World Cup, where they lost to Spain 1-0.