Louis van Gaal finds it ‘very bad’ if the the Dutch line-up leaks out before a game. The national coach of the Dutch national team said at the press conference on Monday that he would do everything he could to keep the basic formation secret until kick-off. Nevertheless, Van Gaal has already revealed that Daley Blind and Virgil van Dijk will return to the team.
“I think it’s very bad if the media gives the line-up,” said Van Gaal on Monday at the press moment before the home game against Turkey. “If you hear from the national coach that he does not like to do that … I think ‘we’ are Dutch and we must beat Turkey together. attitude. Then I do not understand. But yes, so be it. We live in the Netherlands and the culture is like that.”
“I try to do everything I can not to leak the line-up,” said Van Gaal, who seems to have suspicions of a leak in the player selection. “I can never prove it, because I am not a police officer and I am not a judge, but I did say to the whole group that I am very sorry. I do my best in every press conference not to give the lineup, although the not last time either, but okay,” he joked.
Prior to the World Cup qualifier with Montenegro (4-0 win), Van Gaal initially said at the press conference that he did not want to say anything about the line-up so as not to make the opponent’s coach any wiser. Nevertheless, he gradually revealed the press moment that Denzel Dumfries and Steven Berghuis would be on the right flank. On Monday, he confirmed that Blind, who has been suspended against Montenegro, will return to the team. The only question mark in the line-up seems to be the position of right central defender: Stefan de Vrij or Matthijs de Ligt can play there.
Probable position the Dutch: Bijlow; Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Blind; Wijnaldum, De Jong, Klaassen; Berghuis, Depay, Bergwijn