• International football

Van Gaal appointed as new Netherlands coach

ESPN staff
July 6, 2012
Louis van Gaal is returning to the Netherlands © Getty Images
Enlarge

Louis van Gaal is the new manager of the Netherlands national side, following the post-Euro 2012 resignation of Bert Van Marwijk.

Van Gaal, 60, managed Netherlands from 2000 to 2002, but failed to take Netherlands to the World Cup in Japan and Korea. However, he has since returned to winning ways with both AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich.

The Dutch manager brings with him former Ajax manager Danny Blind as his assistant, as Netherlands look to move past a disasterous Euro 2012 campaign where they slumped to three straight defeats.

Van Gaal has won seven league titles across his career, in four different major European leagues, as well as guiding Ajax to Champions League glory in 2004-5.

During his recent spell at Bayern Munich, whom he left in May 2011, Van Gaal came close to repeating his feat, losing to Inter Milan in the final of the 2010 edition of the Champions League.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close