Football: Van Gaal returns as an “Oranje” coach

Van Gaal succeeds his former protégé Frank de Boer, with whom he won the Champions League with Ajax Amsterdam in 1995. The latter resigned after the European Championship. At the European Championship, the Dutch won their group unbeaten – including a 2-0 win over Austria – but were knocked out 2-0 in the round of 16 against the Czech Republic. De Boer was criticized from the start for his departure from the usual 4-3-3 system.

Van Gaal is supposed to get the “Oranje” ship back on course. The 69-year-old former coach of Barcelona, ​​Manchester United and Bayern Munich signed a contract for the time being until the World Cup finals in Qatar next year. The Dutch association KNVB also relied on experience with a view to the upcoming games and quickly came to Van Gaal because of the “extraordinary qualities”, as he announced. “With his experience and his performance at the very highest level, we believe that he is the coach for us,” it said.

Van Gaal back in key position

Qualifying for the finals, which will take place from the end of November 2022, is also van Gaal’s great goal. “Dutch football has always been close to my heart, and I believe that coaching the national team is a key part of moving our football forward,” said the new team boss. The Netherlands are currently in second place in qualifying group G after three games in qualifying group G with six points behind Turkey, which has seven points.

Whereby, the position is not entirely new for the 69-year-old. From 2000 to 2002 van Gaal worked as a bond coach for the first time, but had to resign after he missed qualifying for the 2002 World Cup. His second term from 2012 to 2014 was crowned with more success. At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Netherlands, who only lost to Argentina on penalties in the semi-finals, finished in third place.