De Boer adds the style to Ajax substance

Milan: Ajax Amsterdam caretaker coach Frank De Boer, complete with trademark coat and dugout stance, looked the real deal in Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League win at AC Milan and is keen to take the role permanently.

The confident victory in his first game in charge made sure of Ajax's Europa League berth next year, even if Auxerre's defeat at Group G winners Real Madrid made the San Siro result irrelevant with the Dutch side finishing third in any case.

Demy de Zeeuw rifled home from the edge of the box after 57 minutes before Toby Alderweireld smashed in a beauty on 66 minutes as Ajax quickly forgot Martin Jol's surprise resignation as coach on Monday.

"We really demonstrated the courage to try things. We showed the philosophy of Ajax, building from the back. It's a positive thing, we were a real team," De Boer, caretaker until the Dutch league's winter break, said.

"Yes if it's possible I would like the permanent job, but it's not me that decides, it's results and the directors. I will put all my energy into to it and we'll see."

De Boer, a cultured midfielder with the Netherlands, Ajax and Barcelona, is also assistant manager to the Dutch national side and the experience picked up en route to July's World Cup final has rubbed off well.

Milan were already certain of finishing second and going through to February's Champions League 16 and coach Massimiliano Allegri was not too down about his side's lacklustre performance given he rotated his squad.