Van Gaal says he's open for a fourth coaching spell at Netherlands

FILE PHOTO - Netherlands head coach Louis Van Gaal walks on the pitch ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Quarter-Final soccer match between Netherlands and Argentina at Lusail Stadium. Tom Weller/dpaLouis van Gaal said that he's open for a fourth coaching spell at the Netherlands national team.

>"I always want to help the Dutch Football Federation (KNVB), just as I also wanted to do at Ajax," Van Gaal told the Voetbal International in an interview published on Monday evening.

>"And with such a squad, there are of course possibilities. I also think that the Netherlands could still possibly become European or world champions, because 95% of the squad play abroad and often at good clubs."

>Dutch media has suggested the 74-year-old as a potential successor to Ronald Koeman, who resigned following the Netherlands' early exit from the World Cup in North America last month.

>Van Gaal said he's astonished with the fact that no ideal successor has been found so far and that coaches such as Arne Slot and Erik ten Hag have turned down the job.

>"The only thing going on is that at this moment they still cannot get anyone and then my name comes up again. I find that rather unbelievable," he said.

>"Four years ago at the World Cup in Qatar we lost on penalties in the quarter-finals and 'people' did not think our football was good enough. And those people now see me as the ideal man?"

>He added that so far he hasn't had talks with the federation.

>"I therefore have absolutely no idea what the KNVB wants," he said.

>Van Gaal coached the national team in 2000-2001, 2012-2014 and 2021-2022. His best result was finishing in third at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

>The KNVB will hope to find a new coach soon as their next game is on September 24 against Germany.