Honorable exit for Louis van Gaal

March 8th, 2011 | by: Jan |

gaal sad

He went from Tulip General to Flying Dutchman. They really like creating new monnikers for Louis. Today, the Munich based club decided to stop the partnership with Van Gaal at the end of this season. The new contract ( till 2012) has been canceled by both parties.

Formally, the club and the coach had “different strategies” and gives this as a reason to end the relation. There was no news about the financial resolution.

Louis van Gaal was not available for comments today. Karl Heinz Rummenigge had a press talk of four minutes and that’s it.

It appears that Mark van Bommel’s exit was too much for the team. The skipper was allowed to move to Milan in the winter break, despite his important role in the team. When he left, Van Bommel thanked everyone at Bayern – from groundsmen to the president – but no word for Van Gaal.

The players will need to carry their coach to the end. The club didn’t want to fire the coach on the spot, due to the upcoming game against Inter and the lack of available successors.

Bayerns defends a 1-0 lead against Inter. The club management hopes that the coach will be motivated enough to lead the team to the quarter finals or beyond. If he fails, he won’t be allowed to stay in Munich much longer, most likely.

It seems that Louis is allowed to stay at Bayern for a bit. The thing that worries the most is how calm and collected he responded to media questions. We all remember his press conferences at Ajax, Oranje and Barcelona. Much more entertaining than the football. And that – in case of all three teams – is saying a lot!

I can see Louis doing his “ladies and gentlemen of the press, congratulations. You have achieved it! I am going!” in German. But no. The Bayern management doesn’t want to rock the boat pre the Inter CL game.

Despite of the fact that Bayern lost three games in a row and will not be qualifying for the CL for next year, Louis can stay and the biggest surprise was uttered by him!

It seemed as if Louis had peace with his sacking. He almost made a defeated impression in interviews and that is not very Van Gaal-like.

bommel van gaal

After the Hannover game, one media rep asked the question: “Do you realise your position is at risk?”. Normally, in Amsterdam, Zeist or Barcelona, the journalist would drop his mike and run to the exit to find some hole to hide in for a year. And Louis always gives you time to do so. He never explodes immediately. He gives you time. He ponders and digest the question. Than he stares at you. Than he freezes time. His face will turn red and then purple. And then he’ll take a sip of water. He would then whisper “go home to your own country” or something like that before he’d start screaming.

But this time, he simply said “yes, I know this. But the board and management always supported me and if they stop doing that, then I’m off. They determine when enough is enough. Not me. I am not in a position to debate my future here.”

End of story. No explosions, veins in necks or spit flying through the air.

In another interview, Van Gaal said: “I can live with it. It’s football. I’m almost at the end of my career. It’s much tougher on the other staff members. Most of them have their career still in front of them.”

It seems that Van Gaal is beyond anger. And that might be the reason why Bayern loses! Van Gaal empathic. That means the end of era.
I hope I’m wrong. He’s only 59 years old. Please don’t let this be the end.

But the criticism mounts. Oliver Kahn criticized the rejuvenation of the Bayern team ( Van Bommel’s demise) while sports director Nerlinger criticises the way Van Gaal wants to be the only voice to the media.

Earlier on in the year, Uli Hoeness had offered his negative comments and the relationship between Hoeness and Van Gaal can be seen as icy at best.

But Van Gaal didn’t have an easy season. Star players Ribery and Robben were injured for quite some time. Toni Kroos – the big prospect for the future – was injured, Olic wasn’t available and Louis lost three players, skipper Van Bommel, Braafheid and Alaba.

Some people say that Van Bommel left Bayern as a result of a rift with Van Gaal. The coach laughs: “Parrot-music. Bayern is a warm club. We treat each other with respect. Bayern has a wonderful comfort zone. The only person criticising me is the president ( Hoeness) but he is hardly ever here. And he’s only one person.

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 132 comments.

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By Wissam | March 9th, 2011 at 2:10 pm

@ eric

1. Arsenal ARE 3 points behind Man Utd and have yet to make it even
2. Arsenal did lose the first leg against Utd
3. Arsenal is on a LDL streak…

Posted from United States

By Jan | March 9th, 2011 at 2:32 pm

Whoa people, relax .

1. I don’t think we’re anti Barca here. I do believe we all adore their perfect playing style but yes the diving and yes the World Cup has brought some cynicism to the blog

2. I believe Barca is so perfect that it’s cool to see an underdog (Arsenal) try to beat them

3. Arsenal was crap yesterday. Pep said they couldn’t string three passes together and he is right on the mark. I don’t have a problem with Barca progressing. At all. I do get frustraded with Barca’s lack of efficiency.

4. The red for Robin was a disgrace.

5. Ferenc is one of the most objective, loyal and astute football fans here and I need you all to treat him with respect ( as we need to treat one another with respect).

6. He doesn’t have a Pep tattoo because he already has a Cruyff tattoo there

By Wissam | March 9th, 2011 at 3:08 pm

Question to all:

Is Tottenham winning over a lot of passion from you guys as much as they’re winning from me??

Posted from United States

By Jason | March 9th, 2011 at 3:24 pm

I knew it!!!!

Posted from Canada

By J. | March 9th, 2011 at 3:48 pm

@ Wissam, Spurs had me just when I learned about those funny anti-Wenger songs.

I would love to watch a Spurs-Barça game.

Posted from Greece

By Wissam | March 9th, 2011 at 3:56 pm

I can easily see a spurs barca ending 3-5 or some crazy number of goals

Posted from United States

By van den Berg | March 9th, 2011 at 6:29 pm

Decent game for Raf, I thought. He brings so much to the team.

Johnny Heitinga scored his first goal for Everton!

Good day for the dutchies.

Van Gaal for Arsenal

By van den Berg | March 9th, 2011 at 6:31 pm

Toronto FC has signed three dutchman.

Javier Martina, (ex Ajax), Nick Soolsma (who?) and Elbekay Bouchiba.

By Jan | March 9th, 2011 at 11:00 pm

on Austar they suggested Raf was pissed off for the substitution and that he angrily walked to the dressing room. He wasn’t present when the team celebrated either. Is this true?

By Tiju | March 10th, 2011 at 12:23 am

@ferenc…i know that barca is better team and they deserved the victory,mainly coz of arsenal’s coward play and attitude,i know that persie is mentally weak and so is his collegues,most of the arsenal players are mentally weak and it is curable,wenger has to treat it,but he him self act like coward and he is not able to do that.arsenal is a lovely team and so is barca.this time i wanted arsenal to win the match because of persie.why i like persie because he so clever,talented,emotional,workshard like kuyt,plays for the team ,very unselfish and bleeds for the team and egar for victory.it is not his fault and his team makes are joke in terms of mentality.he has scored more goals than kuyt and he has won important matches for us..he is 1000 times ahead of kuyt in that aspect and i dont want to go in statistics,just check the statistics..i agree that kuyt has impact iin one area of the orange that is menality…he give that by sitting in the bench too.kuyt cannot keep the ball like messi,Xavi,Ineats and others and so we canot play fluid football with him.i never seen him driblling past a single deffender(i knew that foot ball in not only dribbling)..Just remmber the match Brazil..kuyt was chasing maicon and Roben was chased by bastos and bastos got carded…that says everything thing.

By Tiju | March 10th, 2011 at 12:28 am

i dont care about kuyt 3 goals Vs MANU.first gaol was completely belongs to suarez individual skill whether kuyt recieved the ball first or not…second goal was a header and it is opportunistic..but the third he had a vison that ball will bounce from EDVS.was a great and clever antcipation from him…but all this happens once in a bluemoon…
Now kuyt can benfit from suarez individual skills like he benfitted from soloman kalu and romeo castelen in feynoord…

By Carlos | March 10th, 2011 at 2:29 am

I did NOT think Raf played so well and I think by playing Modric Pienaar and Raf he has 3 similar style playmakers. He walked straight into the dressing room after being subbed. Dont think he was too impressed. Barca would slaughter Spurs but I enjoy watching 2 quick wingers Lennon/Bale – Bale also did nothing except provide a Robben style threat and Milan had to watch that space when he came on. Hate to say this as I am NOT a fan, but Seedorf was best midfielder on both sides. He played more defensively though.

Posted from Singapore

By ferenc | March 10th, 2011 at 3:28 am

exactly Carlos,clarence was the best midfielder on the pitch,and i’m sad for (my favourite dutch player) him and for milan…

Posted from Hungary

By ferenc | March 10th, 2011 at 3:32 am

Tiju: just name 2 or 3 important games won by rvp for oranje? i mean important games: world cup,european championship, decisive qualification games agains serious teams,but definitely not friendlies…

Posted from Hungary

By Petrovic | March 10th, 2011 at 4:01 am

Jan,Van der Vaart WAS present when the team celebrated,I saw him. He didnt play great but he managed to shoot dangerously a few times,so I think he played well.

By Tiju | March 10th, 2011 at 5:26 am

Assit to Roben agaisnt Serbia(1-0)..huge step for us
Goal against a fiery ivory coast fro free kick(2-1).when kuyt got chance against portugal in same WC by sitting out great RVN.,kuyt really F@#$ked us and still he is continueing with pool and orange.
another one is 2010 WC Forced denmark’s paulson to score an own goal which was pretty crucial for us.otherwise it would have been a draw and we would have lost to spain in quarter itself.
especially Euro qulification game Vs bulagaria(2008 EC)who was the top scorer for us?most of the orange goals were assited and scored by him in that whole EC2008 qualification.
i do agree that persie is mentally weak but he is 1000 times ahead of kuyt in EPL and Orange….

By Tiju | March 10th, 2011 at 5:27 am

can you name how many matches won by kuyt???in Wcs and Ecs?

By Finnster01 | March 10th, 2011 at 6:28 am

@Tiju: ha ha ha. You answer a question with a question? Is that the best you can do? How about some stats?

1) How many assists and goals did RvP have in WC 2010? I’ll help you: 1 goal 0 assists. Dirk Kuyt 1 goal 3 assists.
2) Hat-tricks: RvP had one against Wigan. Kuyt had one against Man U. RvP is a really big game player. Sure.
3) Who is the only Dutch player who admits he dives?
4) How many times has RvP been injured? How many times have Kuyt been injured? That is no coincident. They play the same teams every year. Kuyt doesn’t get injured because he takes practice seriously and warms up properly and stretches out properly after the game.
5) How many red cards have Kuyt had? How many red cards have Van Persie had?
6) How many times have RvP picked the national team ahead of the world cup in the newspapers? How many times have Dirk done anything that even hit a scandal column?
7) Can VanPersie actually sing the national anthem? I am not sure he even knows the words. Kuyt makes Gattuso look like a choir boy.

Not bad for a player (Kuyt) who according to you is so useless he can’t even walk straight. Just realize the facts, put VanPersie in a big game and he disappears quicker than a vampire in daylight. Which is what people with no spine and character always do. But he is excellent at putting himself first. I’ll give him that.

By ferenc | March 10th, 2011 at 7:20 am

Tiju,Finn: i have nothing to add to Finn’s list. for me rvp is a wasted talent who will never become a great player,bad character,big game flop,not a team player,technically he’s brilliant,but nervously will never mature,he’ll have good games,but definitely won’t have as much impact on oranje’s and arsenal’s game than kuyt (oranje,liverpool). rvp probably will be injured the half of his remaining days as a football player. if i was bert i wouldn’t put him in the starting eleven,and definitely wouldn’t like to see him in my fav. club.

Posted from Hungary

By Agragami | March 10th, 2011 at 7:38 am

what’s the Huntelaar situation, guys? Why is he not in the team or bench in Shalke these days. is he injured or on the way out ?

Posted from India

By Finnster01 | March 10th, 2011 at 7:41 am

I was wondering the same question as Agragami. Can somebody enlighten us?

By Jeff | March 10th, 2011 at 9:30 am

I just heard KJH is coming back to Ajax. Is this true?

By Jad | March 10th, 2011 at 11:25 am

Jkh injured his knee during training ahead of valencia game that what magath said, as for ajax return nothing confirmed

By Arsenal Oranje | March 10th, 2011 at 5:25 pm

Fuck Barcelona, the pussy club who always needs the ref to help them. They are spineless. Arsenal would have won the second half like the first game. Dive, dive, dive, and dive somemore you Spanish cockroaches. Oranje for life and Arsenal for life. You cannot compare Kuyt to van Persie.

By bobotoh | March 10th, 2011 at 10:20 pm

I think it’s better for KJH to move back to Ajax. What Ajax need now is a finisher.

Posted from Indonesia