Louis van Gaal has reacted to the cabinet decision to close the stadiums for the next three weeks. Due to the decision, the the Dutch has to play without an audience on Tuesday evening in the last World Cup qualifier against Norway. Football is trying to start a lobby to change the cabinet’s mind, but Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced at the cabinet press conference on Friday evening that the public is indeed not welcome.
Van Gaal ‘fully’ supports the statement issued by the KNVB about the measure. “It emphasizes that a lot of money has been invested in the corona check, which the government had to do. RIVM has checked all of this. It has resulted in few corona infections, but we are now going to play without an audience. I understand that corona is much more important than football, but it is not logical thinking. If you make that mandatory first, and it goes very well, then I don’t understand this measure.”
Rutte confirms: no public welcome at football matches in the coming weeks
The outgoing cabinet told a press conference about the new measures.
“What is? I’m not an expert,” said Van Gaal. “If you take a measure, you have to monitor and enforce it. That did not happen in the Netherlands. I live in Portugal and that’s where it happened. 98 percent are vaccinated and the hospital beds are minimally occupied. That has to do with leadership. I think Mr. Rutte is the leader of this people, isn’t it? You may also like that. What do I think of that? I have clearly defined that.”
The elector is asked to elaborate on the difference between the Netherlands and Portugal. “Different countries have different cultures. The Portuguese is docile. He does not discuss wearing a face mask. The rules are simply followed and enforced. Although not by enforcers, but simply by store chains themselves. different people than the Dutch, who always think they know better. I often think I know better, but then I understand it. That’s the big difference,” Van Gaal winks.
No more fans in the stadiums until December ?? “The players are used to playing football in front of an empty stadium” pic.twitter.com/AhC3w5nyCz
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) Nov 12, 2021
Gouveia de Melo, vice admiral of the navy and until last month commander of the Portuguese vaccination campaign, made an impression in Portugal with a statement about the choice between two routes: one where a sniper kills 1 per 500,000 people and one that kills 1 in 500. fatally affected. The ruling served to motivate people to get vaccinated. “That general has it better than the team here in the Netherlands,” says Van Gaal. “Every country would have wanted such a high vaccination rate. Portugal has achieved that. I live there, in that paradise.”
Van Gaal sees the Dutch as a connecting factor for the people, but thinks that the absence of the public can affect this. “There is a great chance that the solidarity of the Dutch people – if the the Dutch win – will now be lost, because the stadium is empty,” he indicates. “The players are used to this, I don’t think the influence is as big as we all think. But with the support of the public you can always do that little bit more. Suppose we beat Norway. Then we are qualified. You take that beautiful moment away from the stadium and for the players. That is sad,” said Van Gaal.