Dirk Kuyt and Ron Vlaar joined us on Tuesday evening RTL responded to the presentation of Louis van Gaal as the new national coach of the Dutch national team. The two former internationals worked closely with Van Gaal at the Dutch throughout their careers and have fond memories of, among other things, the 2014 World Cup. invitation to get back to work at Oranje.
“This is Louis van Gaal”, says Kuyt about the presentation of the seventy-year-old coach. “If there is anyone who is convinced of his own qualities, it is Van Gaal. The great thing is, and I was just talking with Ron about that, that he can convey it so well. Not only to the players, but to the whole “He can really get the most out of you. Of course people love his hate relationship with the media. I think there is a bright future for Dutch football both on and off the field.”
Kuyt, who is new as an analyst at RTL this season, does foresee a difficult situation. “Because he has little preparation time. Now he must survive the first phase, I wholeheartedly grant him that. The group of players must take the lead in that. We have seen in the pre-selection that he cannot select everyone he wants, because players have just have arrived at their club. Then you have to make a mark right away. Those first matches really are survival. I’m not too worried about that period after that. He has time to adjust things to his will. It’s des Van Gaals to to have already spoken with players to feel what is going on.”
The former player of Liverpool and Feyenoord, among others, experienced the same with Van Gaal after the European Championship of 2012, which ended in deception. “Then we had to get together with a few players during the first meeting at Huis Ter Duin. Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Robin van Persie, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The knife was immediately put on the table. In that first conversation we have everything. discussed with each other, including the irritations that there were a lot at the time. I think he will do that again now.” Indeed, Van Gaal already called a number of key players of the Dutch national team, with whom he was on the phone for quite some time.
Ron Vlaar looked at Van Gaal’s presentation with a different eye. “It’s a very fine line between arrogance and self-assurance,” said the recently retired defender. “One finds it arrogant, the other confident. I find it confident, because he shows what he can do. He makes that come back time and again. Being successful, winning prizes, turning a hopeless situation into something. He is very important there in. I’m convinced it’s going to be okay.”