Sport
Who will be the next manager of the Netherlands?
The Netherlands’ head coach position is up for grabs due to the departure of Ronald Koeman, who has joined Barcelona. Assistant coach Dwight Lodeweges is in charge on a short term basis but the KNVB are looking for a permanent replacement. Holland are looking for a manager to lead the team during the European Cup next summer and to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Here are five contenders to become the next manager of the Netherlands.
5 candidates to be the next manager of the Netherlands
Arsene Wenger
According to the latest football news, Arsene Wenger has applied to replace Ronald Koeman as the new Netherlands boss. The former Arsenal manager is looking to return to management and has put himself forward for the position. The 70-year-old is currently FIFA’s head of global football development but is frustrated with his limited influence in this role and is looking to be on the bench once again. If the Frenchman is hired as the new Netherlands manager, this would be his first job as the manager of a country.
Erik Ten Hag
If the Netherlands decide to stick to tradition and hire a Dutch manager, Erik Ten Hag would be the preferred candidate. The last time a foreign manager oversaw Holland goes back to 1977-1978 when Austrian manager Ernst Happel was at the helm. Ten Hag is one of Europe most sought after managers after he led Ajax Amsterdam to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019.
Though most of the Netherlands fans would be very happy if Ten Tag is appointed as the new Netherlands manager, it is unlikely that the former Utrecht coach will leave Ajax for the national team. The odds that Ten Tag will replace Koeman are small as he has formally rejected the Holland job and is “fully committed to Ajax.”
Frank De Boer
Luuk de Jong hopes that the KNVB will go for a similar coach as Ronald Koeman in the search for a new national coach. The way of doing things of the new FC Barcelona coach paid off according to the Europa League winner. De Jong does not prefer foreign coaches and, the KNVB has indicated that they prefer a Dutch coach. After somewhat unsuccessful spells in Italy, England and the US, De Boer would not be a popular choice with the Dutch fans but would be a similar choice to Ronald Koeman two-and-a-half years ago. De Boer won four league titles with Ajax, is back in Holland and has been the assistant coach to Bert van Marwijk when Holland reached the 2010 World Cup Final.
Louis van Gaal
Contrary to Frank De Boer, Louis van Gaal would be a popular choice with the fans as he is one of the most successful Dutch managers in recent history. Dutch fans want Van Gaal as Koeman’s successor because they are worried a less-experienced manager would delay the road to success with this new generation of Dutch football players.
In order to do well at Euro 2020, the Dutch fans want an experienced Dutch manager on the bench. According to a survey conducted by the Dutch magazine Voetbal, Louis van Gaal is the favorite among the fans. Although he has not worked as a manager since 2016 when he left Manchester United, the 69-year old is considered the ideal candidate.
Peter Bosz
Twenty-seven percent of the people surveyed by Voetbal prefer Louis van Gaal but, Peter Bosz is a close second with 24% of the votes. The Bayer Leverkusen coach said the following about the position last summer: “Becoming the manager of the national team is the highest thing you can achieve in Holland.” Though Peter Bosz has made clear it is his dream to manage Holland, would he consider leaving Bayer Leverkusen this summer? The 56-year old recently renewed his contract and, it would be an expensive choice for the KNVB.
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