Ronald Koeman feels ‘fit again’ as Netherlands boss opens up on emergency heart op ‘scare’ after hospital dash

NETHERLANDS manager Ronald Koeman has assured fans he feels “fit again” after needing an emergency heart operation over the weekend.

The 57-year-old also thanked fans for their support during what was undoubtedly a troubling time for his family.

The Dutch football legend posted a picture of himself on Instagram with his thumbs up in his garden.

He captioned it: “That was a bit of a shock, last weekend.

“For myself, of course, but especially for my family, and for my friends.

“Fortunately, the AMC doctors helped me quickly and wonderfully, for which I am very grateful.

“You can put such an event on the ground with both feet.

“It was fantastic for me to see how many people have lived with it.

“And how many sweet messages I have received.

“From acquaintances from the football world, from clubs.

“But also from completely unknown people.

“That has done me a lot of good and I would like to thank everyone for that!”

BACK TO WORK

Koeman, who had stints managing Southampton and Everton in the Premier League, went on to say that he expects to return to work as soon as football returns, whenever that may be.

He said: “At this moment I feel as fit as a fiddle again.

“And that means that I hit it with full force again, as soon as the ball starts rolling again.”

The Ajax, PSV and Barcelona legend had to have a stent (a tube that keeps the blood vessel open) inserted after a cardiac catheterisation showed the vein was blocked.

He had been out cycling before complaining of chest pain – he was then taken in an ambulance to Amsterdam UMC hospital.

There have been no suggestions that his heart problem was related to the coronavirus.