STUTTGART, June 15 - Dutch master Johan Cruyff is satisfied with the Netherlands progress so far at the World Cup as they prepare to face Ivory Coast on Friday in Stuttgart.

After the Dutch held a final training session on Thursday in the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadium before their second Group C match Cruyff spoke with Netherlands coach Marco van Basten.

He also told reporters: "The defence has improved a lot and is still developing. Wesley Sneijder is doing very well, we know his skills as midfielder but he has improved his defending."

During his early days as a young striker at Ajax Amsterdam Van Basten played with Cruyff and years later the captain of the 1974 World Cup runners-up became his coach.

The pair have always been close and when after Euro 2004 the Dutch FA asked Cruyff who should be the new national team coach he put forward Van Basten as a suitable candidate.

"We talk regularly, not only about football," said Cruyff.

Van Basten added: "It is always good to talk with Johan about football because he holds strong views and they can be in our best interests".

Van Basten has no injury problems and is likely to start with the team that beat Serbia & Montenegro 1-0 on Sunday.

"They (Ivory Coast) have to win and will do everything for it," said Van Basten. "We will try to play our own game, though that will be tough against a strong opponent."

Striker Ruud van Nistelrooy also underlined the strength of the African side, who are making their World Cup debut.

Van Nistelrooy wants to make up for his below-par performance on his own World Cup debut, but is still full of confidence despite being criticised in the Dutch media.

"I will be difficult because their display against Argentina is the best I have seen so far this tournament," he told reporters referring to Ivory Coast's 2-1 opening defeat.