Van Gaal does not rule out becoming Belgium manager after the World Cup
Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal did not rule out replacing Roberto Martinez as Belgium's manager after the World Cup.
Van Gaal already has confirmed that he will leave his role as manager of the
Netherlandsafter the
World Cup.was eliminated from the World Cup in the group stage on Thursday and Roberto Martinez announced that he will leave his job after six years.
"Belgium is a really friendly country with really friendly people, and Knokke-Hesti is a lovely beach town,"
Van Gaal said with a smile.
"It is surprising [Belgium are out]. There's players in the squad that are really marvellous, when you look at them individually. But it's all about the team.
"I was never at their training sessions, I don’t see every match. I saw the last match – they should have won and they would have qualified."
Van Gaal was asked whether he would consider taking over Belgium if they approached him.
He said:
”You've got to convince my wife!
"Joking aside, no. I'm always at liberty to take decisions myself but there are certain countries I would not move to and my wife wouldn't – simple as that.
"I am here with the Dutch team, we want to be world champion, and then we'll see if there's any offers on the table.
"I have said, if we become world champions, football is so opportunistic that I know there will be offers, I know that full well, but at the moment we are not world champion and if I believe the Dutch media, we will never be world champions!"
The Netherlands will face the United States in the last 16 on Saturday. Van Gaal praised the USA team and insisted that they will not underestimate them.
"All I can say is what I have seen. I was never present at training or meetings, or when he prepared his players,"
he said.
"What I've observed is a vision, what I see is a team that is keen to execute that vision, which is of the utmost importance, and I see the conviction of the players.
"That must be fantastic for a coach. It's how I feel about my group. I've conveyed that message for a year and a half because I don't think I've ever had a group like this one.
"You see it on the pitch, but I'm apparently only one in the Netherlands who sees that – it's probably me!"
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