Sunday, August 22, 2021 at 10:07 PM• Dominic Mostert • Last update: 22:12

Ruud Gullit thinks that the KNVB has seriously explored too few options in the search for a new national coach. After the departure of Frank de Boer, Louis van Gaal was soon promoted to top candidate and the appointment was official within 36 days. In talk show Rondo Gullit claims on Sunday evening that the unemployed Arsene Wenger was also interested in the job, but that the KNVB simply did not reach him.

“The people are really there. I spoke with Arsene Wenger, who really wanted to do it,” says Gullit in the talk show. When he is asked by presenter Wytse van der Goot whether he means that, Gullit responds firmly. “Yes, of course. But they didn’t come up with that. We had a chat and he really wanted to do it, but they don’t come up with it. There were people.” The KNVB has not investigated enough options, according to the former top football player. “First they were only with Frank de Boer and now they were only with Van Gaal. Again so short-sighted. That doesn’t mean it should have been Wenger, but you could have talked to it.”

Gullit believes that the KNVB could, for example, have talked to Bert van Marwijk, the national coach who guided the the Dutch to the World Cup final in 2010. Table companion Ronald Waterreus believes that the KNVB should simply go for ‘the best option’. “If you think Van Gaal is the best option now, I think it’s very strange that you didn’t take him a year and a half ago,” said the former keeper, who also saw Van Gaal wondering during his presentation which other trainer would be suitable. would be. “I think a lot of trainers in the Netherlands now feel quite offended. And that is actually right. Van Gaal actually says: I am the best trainer and the only one who can still get the Dutch national team to talk.”

Waterreus does not think that the KNVB should only turn to unemployed trainers when looking for a new national coach. “They don’t have to be free, do they? It is absolutely an honor to train the national team of your country? That is the highest possible job you can get, isn’t it?” Waterreus wonders. I understand that in some careers it doesn’t fit into the schedule. But the KNVB can knock on anyone’s door and ask whether they are interested in the vacancy of national coach? It can’t be that someone always has to be free, can it? Suppose Peter Bosz really wants to, then you go to Olympique Lyon and ask how much it costs?”