Bayern: "This is the perfect deal"

Thursday 14 May 2009

AZ-chairman Dirk Scheringa heard nothing from München for weeks, but once the first Bayern delegation sat down at his table they told him the whole squad will be coming soon.

Announcing they would play a friendly in Alkmaar free of charge was the first gesture Bayern made to convince the AZ-chairman to let Louis van Gaal move to the south of Germany.

Somewhere in the new season the whole squad will fly to Alkmaar to play the Dutch champions, which will give Van Gaal his goodbye-game at the same time.

The German private jet landed on Amsterdam Airport at 14h20, bringing with it chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, manager Uli Hoeness and financial director Karl Hopfner.

At 18h50 the German record champions sent out 70,000 text messages to their fans saying they are 'over the moon' with the arrival of Van Gaal.

They were this close to make it a national holiday in Bavaria, but three Bayern big shots were incredibly proud that their wanted scenario has become reality.

They said the talks with Dirk Scheringa, general director Toon Gerbrands en director of football Marcel Brands took place in a pleasant, yes even a friendly atmosphere and that they had come to agree terms of the transfer of coach Louis van Gaal to Munich.

The 'perfect deal' as it was dubbed was closed in record time.

Questions were even asked afterwards why AZ had driven such a hard bargain in the days before.

"We are happy that with Louis van Gaal we have laid our hands on a successful and experienced coach," chairman Rummenigge said after the meeting with Scheringa.

The former German star did everything in his power to leave for Holland without the German press core on his trail.

The luxury company Audi of financial director Hopfner left the Säbener Strasse at noon, to be followed half an hour later by the Audis of Rummenigge and Hoeness.

At the time all sports writers had gathered inside for an announced press conference.

In the eyes of Rummenigge he still had to go and formally free Van Gaal from the clutches of the AZ-chairman.

But the former forward knew that the Dutchman had already done a lot of homework and given him some securities.

"In the days before Louis didn't want us to get in touch with the club. He had told us he would work out a solution with AZ," Rummenigge said.

Van Gaal will start his job with Bayern on 1 July on a contract that runs until the summer of 2011.

The final details will be worked out over the next few days by Van Gaal's lawyer Cor Hellingman, while the financial side of it all will be dealt with by Van Gaal's agent Rob Cohen (the father-in-law of Ronald de Boer).

In Munich a great reception awaits Van Gaal.

His list of trophies has been on the front pages of all German papers and even the Bild Zeitung was very enthusiastic about his arrival.

Although that can easily change after two typical Van Gaal press conferences and a few defeats.

Of course he was called the Flying Dutchman.

Not because of the silverware he has gathered but all because of his Bruce Lee-impersonation during the 1995 final of the Champions League.

Bild Zeitung portrayed him as a 'discipline freak' and his wife was portrayed with a microphone in her hand as she was supposed to sometimes sing at parties (which she never does).

His presentation to the German press will take place in the enormous Sheraton Arabellapark hotel in Munich, where all the big Bayern signings have been presented.

And it will be a big media circus.

Van Gaal will be the first Dutch coach at the helm of the biggest German club.

On the Bayern's jersey there are four stars for the 20 league titles the club has won so far.

Rummenigge is hoping that Van Gaal will help the club on it's way to it's fifth star.