Koeman coaches the Dutch national team in a style different from Van Gaal’s.
Ronald Koeman, who has succeeded compatriot Louis van Gaal as head of the Netherlands national football team since the start of the year, confirmed on Monday that he will be a tactically “greatly different” coach from his predecessor.
The former international defender said during a press conference in the city of Zeist in the center of the country that he intends to “go back to the old system with four defenders, and not five (like at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar)”, adding: I will work with my ideas and experience.”
Koeman, 59, doesn’t see it as “necessary” to have a discussion with Van Gaal when he takes over.
In this regard, he said: “I spoke with a number of players, in particular, about the system that will be put in place. Their opinion matters. He (Van Gaal) remained unbeaten in 25 games during his tenure. It’s amazing if I could do it, but I want to do it differently.” There were moments during the World Cup when I said: “I have to change something.”
During his reign, which ended with the end of the World Cup in Qatar last December, Van Gaal went undefeated in regulation and extra time as the Netherlands were knocked out of the quarter-finals on penalties against title-winning Argentina. .
Koeman is returning for the second time to run the factories after a first spell between 2018 and 2020 when he reached the 2019 European Nations League final and managed to lead them to the European Cup in 2021.
Source: AFP.