“Yes, I’ve thought about it” - Louis van Gaal leaves door open for Belgium coaching role after 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign with Netherlands
Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal hinted at the possibility of him taking charge of Belgium after the 2022 FIFA World Cup when asked about the vacant position.
Roberto Martinez's tenure as the manager of the Red Devils came to an end after their exit from the group stage of the tournament. Martinez had held the position since 2016 and oversaw a promising generation of players dubbed the "golden generation" but failed to win any major honors.
Van Gaal, who has driven the Netherlands to the knockout stages of the World Cup, was asked if he would fancy the job. He said (via ESPN):
"Belgium is a wonderful country with really friendly people -- Knokke[-Heist] is a wonderful beach town, so yes I've thought about it."
Van Gaal further joked that his wife would need to be convinced:
"You have to convince Truus, Joking aside, I am always at liberty to take decisions myself but there are certain countries I won't move to, and Truus won't."
• You already said you would consider it [becoming the Belgium manager]. But what's needed to fully convince you and your wife?
Van Gaal: "Well you say it well, you have to convince my wife Truus! Nah.. I always have the freedom to take my own decisions." https://t.co/f0ZZ20OQ61
He added that his focus remains at the job in hand, which is to win the World Cup with the Dutch team. The Netherlands face USA in the first knockout stage game of the tournament and Oranje are the favorites to go through.
"I am here to talk about the Dutch team, we want to become world champions and then we'll see if there are any offers on the table. In an interview with the Dutch media, I've said that if we're world champions - everyone is opportunistic in football - there will be offers. But we're not world champions yet, and if I believe the Dutch media, we will never be world champions."
Roberto Martinez looked back on his tenure after stepping down from his post during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The former Everton manager pointed out the team's achievements during his time in charge. He said (via The Guardian):
“There is no doubt. They won the bronze medal in 2018, for four years they were No 1 in the world, 21 of them have their [Uefa] A licences, which means they will be coaching the next generation for the next 20 years. And in this time we have built a state-of-the-art training facility. They haven’t won a tournament but leaving a legacy is more important than winning a tournament.”
Louis van Gaal was surprised by Belgium's exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Much like the fans, Louis van Gaal was stunned by Belgium's dismal showing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He also pointed out the quality of refereeing at the World Cup so far.
He said:
"We beat them in the last two matches but the players in their squad are marvellous, They should've won their last match and then they'd have qualified, football's not only about techniques and tactics, but it's also a bit of luck. If you've seen the referees that we've had here, then maybe we can start a discussion about that as well."
Roberto Martínez has confirmed he is no longer Belgium manager after their World Cup exit 🇧🇪 https://t.co/6wI0twnXjY