Frank Rijkaard has quit as Holland coach after watching his team lose their Euro 2000 semi-final to Italy on penalties this evening.

	Kluivert anguish after his second-half miss against Italy (SBotterill/Allsport)

The Dutch missed no less than five spot-kicks - two in normal time and three more in the disastrous shoot-out after extra-time - as the ten-man Italians booked their place in Sunday's final against France.

Rijkaard, whose team dominated a dire 0-0 draw, told Dutch television he felt it was the right time to go.

'I set myself one goal when I started as national coach and that was winning the European championship,' he said. 'I failed and I think now it's time for a new coach.'

Rijkaard, a key member of the Dutch team which won the European title in 1988, took over as coach after the World Cup two years ago and had a mixed record leading up to Euro 2000.

But his team performed superbly when the tournament started, winning all three group games and thrashing Yugoslavia 6-1 in the quarter-finals.

They should also have beaten an Italian side reduced to ten men after Gianluca Zambrotta was sent off in the 33rd minute.

But captain Frank de Boer and striker Patrick Kluivert both missed penalties in normal time before the Dutch lost the shoot-out 3-1.

'I think if we had scored one of the two penalties in normal time against an Italian team with 10 men, we would have had no problem,' he said.

'We practised penalties every day and this match shows that taking a penalty is always something special and that it's not our forte.'

'I think this game is a disaster for the whole tournament. It was a missed chance for us.

'Despite the fact that we really dominated the first half, we were not able to finish it off.

'Something happens with the team when you play well and don't score and you get a lack of self-confidence setting in.

'I think the Italians played really cleverly. Their organisation was really good and they did a terrific defensive job.'

Dutch defender Jaap Stam said of Rijkaard's departure: 'I think it's a pity he resigned. I think he did really well as a national coach in the two years of preparation for this championship.

'At this tournament I think he got the best out of this team.'