John van't Schip has been appointed as the inaugural coach for incoming A-League club Melbourne Heart. The 45-year old Dutchman will leave his post as assistant manager with Ajax Amsterdam to take up his new position in Australia.

Melbourne Heart and van't Schip have agreed a two-year deal with the club entering the competition as the 11th team in the 2010/2011 season.

van't Schip represented Holland 41 times whilst playing club football for Ajax and Italian club Genoa in the 1980s and 90s.

The Canadian-born former winger was Marco van Basten's assistant for the Dutch national team from 2004-2008.