Like other international periods, Louis van Gaal is again central to the Dutch this week. The national coach drew all the attention during the press conference on Monday by visibly barking at the media. Sjoerd Mossou does not have a good word for Van Gaal’s performance and writes in his column in the General Newspaper about ‘blatant rudeness’ and ‘an unworldly and ridiculous act’.
It has been about Van Gaal’s press conference for days. The 71-year-old trainer made an irritated impression and sought confrontation with the media several times. Jeroen Stekelenburg (NOS), Martijn Krabbendam (Voetbal International) and Valentijn Driessen (De Telegraaf), among others, got it in bold with the elector. “Precisely in an era in which journalists all over the world are under attack, increasingly literally, and in which the social debate is derailing all the time, Van Gaal was beating around like a madman,” said Mossou.
The journalist saw the Van Gaal ‘of yesteryear’. “Suspicious and full of disdain, rudely ranting about fairly normal questions from the audience. Everything was suggestive, Louis thought. Everything was ridiculous,” said Mossou. “Nevertheless, Van Gaal’s performance on Monday also had something very sad. For someone who likes to talk about norms and values, who regularly interferes in social themes, and who prides himself on his exemplary role as a strong leader, this was an unworldly and ridiculous performance.”
According to Mossou, who jokingly refers to Van Gaal as one of the most famous Dutch people in the Netherlands, the people in his staff will not hold him accountable for his behaviour. “Obedient as they are. Next to him, press secretary Bas Ticheler was laughing sheepishly. And at his friends from the media (Amigos de la prensa) he is certainly not going to listen, Van Gaal is watching out. All hopes are pinned – again – on Truus, on who else.”