Van Gaal, who is currently in charge of the Netherlands, has advised his fellow countryman to choose a football club and not a “commercial club."
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Manchester United’s hunt for a permanent manager to join them this summer has intensified lately. If reports are to be believed Erik ten Hag has been approached and he seems to be the favourite to land the coveted hot seat. A large section of fans has also developed a liking for the Dutchman, which is largely due to the way he has managed Ajax. In their domestic league, the Dutch giants have always been a dominant force, but Ten Hag’s incredible job was noticed when he helped them reach the semifinals of the 2019 Champions League before losing to Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite some of Ajax’s key players having left for other European heavyweights in recent seasons, Ten Hag has still managed to keep them playing at the same high level. However, former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has warned ten Hag against a move to Old Trafford. Van Gaal, who is currently in charge of the Netherlands, has advised his fellow countryman to choose a football club and not a “commercial club.”
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“Erik ten Hag is a great coach and that is always good for Manchester United,” said Van Gaal. “But Manchester United are a commercial club, so it’s a difficult choice for a coach. He’d better go to a football club. I’m not going to advise him, he’ll call me himself. But he must choose a football club and not a commercial club.”
Van Gaal knows the difficulty of managing a giant football club like Manchester United. The enormous outside pressure that comes with the job is not for the faint-hearted. Fans, former players and critics have a lot to say about the club’s performances.
Van Gaal did reasonably well, finishing in the top four in his first season and helping the club lift the FA Cup under him in 2016. However, his style of play was criticised by many during his two-year stay at Old Trafford.
Earlier, Louis van Gaal criticised FIFA’s decision to hold the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He believes that “money and commercial interests” are the reason behind hosting the tournament in the middle eastern country.
At a press conference, van Gaal was asked his opinion on Qatar hosting the World Cup. “Now, everybody knows that I find that ridiculous,” said Van Gaal. “It’s ridiculous that we are going to play in a country – how does FIFA say it? To develop the football there. That is b******t. But it doesn’t matter – it’s about money, commercial interests. That’s the main motive of FIFA.
“Why do you think that I’m not a member of the FIFA commission, with my UEFA expertise?” the former Bayern Munich manager stated. “Because I have always [kept] my distance against these kinds of organisations. It’s not right, but I can say this directly about Qatar – but that does not help the world to get rid of this problem.”
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