Van Gaal linked with sensational return to former team
Netherlands manager Danny Blind wants Louis van Gaal to return to the national set up as his technical director when he parts ways with Manchester United.
Van Gaal, 64, is under immense pressure at United having overseen a dramatic downturn in form that has seen United fail to win any of their last eight matches.
The Dutchman was widely expected to be sacked or resign when United welcomed Chelsea on Monday night, but there were signs in United’s performance that suggested he could turn things around, despite reportedly telling club chief Ed Woodward that he had lost faith in his own ability.
However, the United boss is still only one bad performance away from further calls for his departure and Blind, who was Van Gaal’s assistant at the 2014 World Cup, would welcome back his mentor to the national set up.
“With Van Gaal I could achieve a lot,” Blind, the father of United defender Daley, told Dutch paper AD. “He is in the top category. But there are also many other options to think of where the shoe could fit.”
“I do not know if that will happen. I recently read a comment by Bert van Oostveen [KNVB director] about [technical director]. But I have not spoken to him about it personally.
“The key question is: what are the pillars of the work of a technical director? I have been one myself a couple of times in my career and basically it comes down to a buying and selling policy but that is at a club, not at the KNVB.
“It comes to the flow of youth players. You have to offer an exciting job and it must be someone with respect. It’s difficult.”
The Netherlands have a lot of soul searching to do after inexplicably failing to qualify for next summers’ expanded European Championships. But Blind could have his mentor available sooner rather than later if he fails to turn United’s form around.
The Red Devils have not won in eight and only scored 11 goals in their last 15 matches in all competitions.
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