Pioneer Pauw leaves Netherlands helm

Vera Pauw, who led the Netherlands to the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009 semi-finals, is to step down as coach.

Pauw, who was appointed by the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) in 2004 having previously managed Scotland, announced her decision at a press conference prior to the team's FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia, at home on Saturday and away on Thursday. The Netherlands are two points behind Group 2 leaders Norway having played a game more.

"These will be my last matches as Dutch national team coach," Pauw said. "I am exercising the one-month notice in my contract. I understand that this might come at an unexpected moment. But recent weeks and days have confirmed my impression that the KNVB and me, in regards to the way I function, have grown apart."

The former Oranje captain, who worked for the KNVB while a player between 1986 and 1998, led her side to their first major final tournament last year and knocked out Denmark and France en route to the last four, earning the 18-strong squad professional contracts from the government. In 2005 she became the first Dutch female to achieve the professional coaching licence, and she was instrumental in setting up a women's Eredivisie. Since 2007 Pauw has been a member of the UEFA Women's Football Committee and she also serves on the FIFA Technical and Development Committee.