Erik Ten Hag to Manchester United: Louis Van Gaal says he should choose a football club, not a commercial club
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ByEurosport
Updated 28/03/2022 at 13:03 GMT
Louis van Gaal was manager of Manchester United for two seasons before being dismissed in 2016 after failing to achieve a top-four finish and qualify for the Champions League. He says his compatriot Erik ten Hag, who is currently in charge of Ajax, that he should not take the United job if he is offered it. Van Gaal told reporters: "He must choose a football club and not a commercial club."
Louis van Gaal
Image credit: Getty Images
Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal says Erik ten Hag should choose a “football club and not a commercial club” as the Ajax manager continues to be linked to Manchester United.
Ten Hag is considered one of the frontrunners to become the permanent manager of United in the summer and has been interviewed for the role.
Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique and Julen Lopetegui are other names that are said to be on the Old Trafford shortlist, with United interim boss Ralf Rangnick - who will take on a two-year consultancy role at the club from next season - playing his part in identifying his replacement, alongside executives Darren Fletcher and John Murtough.
But Van Gaal, who managed Manchester United between 2014 and 2016, does not think the Premier League club is the right fit for compatriot Ten Hag.
“I think Erik ten Hag is a great coach,” he said ahead of their friendly against Germany on Tuesday.
“And a great coach is always good for Manchester United. But Manchester United is a commercial club. Those are difficult choices for a coach.
“You better go to a football club. I'm not going to guide his career.
"I’m not going to advise him, he’ll call me himself. But he must choose a football club and not a commercial club."
Van Gaal also hit back at Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk who revealed he prefers to play a 4-3-3 formation over the Netherlands boss’ preference of lining his team up in a 3-4-1-2.
Van Dijk previously said: "Do I like the system? Well, I'm still in favour of 4-3-3 but I'm not the national coach and the national coach has a very strong opinion about it."
The 70-year-old responded, saying: “I know he has that preference, he always said this publicly.
“We already had this debate when I came here. The manager decides the tactics.”
In Van Gaal's third stint in charge, Netherlands have qualified for the World Cup in Qatar which gets underway in November.
Van Gaal has won six and drawn two of his eight matches since taking over from Frank de Boer in August last year.
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