Louis van Gaal to Retire: Latest Comments and Reaction
Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed he will retire from coaching.
The 65-year-old will walk away from the sport due to "events in his family," as he told the Telegraaf (h/t the Guardian).
The report noted that Van Gaal, who also managed the Dutch national team, Ajax and Barcelona in his illustrious career, had been offered a position in Asia that would have seen him earn a whopping £44 million over three seasons.
Van Gaal's most recent post was the one at Old Trafford. Although he won the FA Cup at the end of his second season in charge, Jose Mourinho replaced him ahead of the current campaign.
Per the initial source, the manager suggested he was keen to carry on working in the game after leaving the Red Devils, although he has evidently had a change of heart.
Although Van Gaal was criticised during his time in England due to the possession-based style of football he encouraged, he enjoyed a remarkable amount of success throughout his career as a coach.
In total, he steered his teams to 20 major trophies, including league titles with Barcelona, Ajax, AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich. Van Gaal's most memorable triumph as a boss came in 1995, when Patrick Kluivert's late goal saw Ajax overcome AC Milan 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League final.
Van Gaal also enjoyed success on the international stage. In his second spell as Netherlands manager, he plotted a run to the semi-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup for an unfancied Dutch side before eventually clinching third place; on their way to the last four, his side pummelled champions Spain 5-1.
Giants of the game have spoken of the influence he had on their careers too. "After two days of training under him, I thought, 'Who is this idiot?'" said Barcelona icon Xavi of Van Gaal in 2015, per Andy Mitten of ESPN FC. "After a week, I thought, 'He's right.' He'll always be in my heart."
While Van Gaal did not earn too many plaudits for his style of play at United, his charismatic persona ensured he was a popular figure among the fanbase. For supporters of other major clubs across the continent, though, he will also be remembered for the myriad successes he masterminded.
.jpg?w=600 "Grading SmackDown 🔠")
