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What to do with flirting Van Gaal?

Tuesday 28 April 2009

AZ-chairman Dirk Scheringa has a problem when Bayern Munich again come asking after Louis van Gaal.

On Monday Jürgen Klinsmann got the sack as coach of Bayern Munich.

The biggest club of Germany, in bad times also known as ‘FC Hollywood’, now want an experienced coach.

"A football guru will be best for this squad," Bayern manager Uli Hoeness said.

"A coach with the status and quality of Guus Hiddink," Franz Beckenbauer wrote in his column in Bild Zeitung.

The job seems made for Louis van Gaal.

The German employer of Mark van Bommel have got no for an answer before from the successful coach, but just this week Van Gaal indicated that his ambitions reach further then just winning the league with AZ.

The coach also said he can not keep on telling the big European clubs no forever.

The football teacher, in his fourth season at AZ, is also talking to the Belgian FA at the moment about a role as coach of the Rode Duivels ('Red Devils').

A job as national coach of an appealing country is considered interesting by Van Gaal anyway.

Just how far can Louis van Gaal go as coach of AZ?
AZ were ever so proud in 2005 that they had landed Louis van Gaal as a coach and chairman Scheringa for four years said almost every month just how great Van Gaal is for his club.

It has put Van Gaal on a pedestal and AZ don't think it's right to call him back right now.

Every other younger or less successful coach would have been told he should be happy with his contract in Alkmaar and would not have been allowed to talk to other clubs.

So Louis van Gaal seems to be bigger than the club.

With 16 pieces of silverware to his name and the title of 'Coach of the Year' in 2007 the man has certain rights, but his flirting with other clubs and associations is not all that classy towards the fans.

What does the coach think?
Louis van Gaal hopes AZ will be grateful to him for the first league title in 28 years that he has helped the club to.

Besides that he has founded a professional organization and created a top class sports climate in Alkmaar.

Van Gaal has shown 200% commitment in the past four years (the first one to arrive in the morning and the last one to leave in the evening). Perhaps AZ are willing t think with him and perhaps they will be considerate of his ambitions.

On Friday Van Gaal said: "Perhaps AZ think: we don't want to be in the way of a deal with this country or that club."

Besides his players also have the right to talk about other clubs.

Topscorer Mounir El Hamdaoui, midfielder Demy de Zeeuw and forward Moussa Dembélé all three think they are ready for a European top side.

What can AZ do to keep Van Gaal in Alkmaar?
Chairman Dirk Scheringa and General Director Toon Gerbrands can first of all remind him of his contract that runs until 2010.

When the club is tough and simply says that there is no room for a second employer and that a transfer to another club is not debatable, Van Gaal will have no other option than to coach AZ next season and show them the way in the Champions League.

That is not a punishment, because a lot of the European limelight will shine on AZ next season.

More than Van Gaal the players will be able to make a name for themselves in Europe.

The coach himself doesn't need to do that anymore, but he will certainly be keen on helping youngsters such as Stijn Schaars, David Mendes, Kew Jaliens and Maarten Martens one step further up.

What possibilities does Van Gaal have abroad, besides coaching Belgium?
Bayern München is an interesting option, and English club Sunderland would love to land Van Gaal as manager.

There is plenty of money there, but they are situated in the north of England and Van Gaal's wife has strong say in his future as well.

Manchester City has even more money, but the best job available is at Chelsea.

They are the only top club in England looking for a manager this summer.

But it seems that Carlo Ancelotti and Frank Rijkaard are the prime candidates for the position, as they are relaxed characters as is Guus Hiddink.

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"The intellectualisation
of football has
always foundered
on a simple problem-
-the players. Doing
all your most
rewarding thinking
with your feet seems
to dull the philo-
sophical impulse.
Unless, of course,
you are Dutch.
According to legend,
Europeans played
a moronic, muscular
version of the world's
game, until Holland
proclaimed its vision
of total football in the
1974 World Cup,
and enlightenment
dawned."

From:
Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football