During the press conference on his way to the World Cup qualifier against Turkey, Louis van Gaal did not avoid a discussion with Valentijn Driessen. According to the journalist of De Telegraaf, Van Gaal wants to play with the the Dutch like Chelsea, which he believes is a defensive style of play. The national coach sees it differently and said that Driessen has ‘no sense at all’.
Van Gaal notices that expectations around the Dutch are getting higher. He tempers expectations by indicating that it will not be easy to beat Turkey on Tuesday evening. “Look at the results. Look at Italy, European champion, has now drawn twice. It’s not all that easy. Defensive football has made its appearance and there is applause for that afterwards,” said Van Gaal, who reinforced his words by applauding himself.
“But the one applauding is you. You also want to play like Chelsea and Liverpool,” said Valentijn Driessen. “Is that defensive football, in your eyes?” Van Gaal replied. “What Chelsea does,” said Driessen. “Not at all, Valentine! You have no idea at all. I’m sorry to say it, but you’re just a journalist. You want to implement your vision, but you have no vision in football. You have a vision for the newspaper, fantastic. You attract attention, and so on. But with 5-3-2 or 5-2-3 you can attack incredibly well. Chelsea shows it every time, with different formations. And I take my hat off to Mr Tuchel, because he got in halfway through.”
“So at Manchester City – Chelsea did you enjoy Chelsea more than Manchester City?” Driessen then asked the national coach. “Yes of course! You should read my book, because you probably won’t.” Driessen then let it be known that he already has Van Gaal’s books. “So you have read what I said to Pep Guardiola?”, Van Gaal asked the journalist of De Telegraaf, who did not answer that question. “But your first vision in your first vision is at odds with your current vision,” says Driessen. Van Gaal: “Have you ever heard of evolution? I’m developing too and Memphis is developing too,” the coach said, pointing to the Barcelona striker sitting next to him. “And me at the age of seventy.”
“If everyone continues to do the same, you can distinguish yourself with distinctive football. And we have always wanted that and we always do that in the Netherlands,” said Driessen. Van Gaal listened, shaking his head. “With 5-3-2 you can play distinctive football. Only you don’t want to. Well, then you should write that. I read it again and then a faint smile arises again, because I think: there you have Valentine again. It’s so easy to write that. I can’t do anything about it.”