National coach Louis van Gaal (70) has tested positive for corona. That reports the KNVB Tuesday† He will go into isolation in Woudschoten for the next few days, where the official preparations for the World Cup in Qatar started on Monday.
Danny Blind, Henk Fraser and Frans Hoek – the other members of the Orange squad – temporarily take over Van Gaal’s duties. On Saturday, the Dutch national team will play the first practice match against Denmark in the run-up to the World Cup in November. Next Tuesday there will be a practice match against Germany, both matches will be played in the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam.
Van Gaal said during a press conference on Monday that he expects all Orange players to be vaccinated when a heavier or more contagious variant of the corona virus flares up. According to him, some of the players would have had corona and have not yet been vaccinated. Van Gaal has also criticized the World Cup in Qatar. He thinks it is “ridiculous” that the world championship is being held in that country.
It is the third time that Van Gaal is the national coach of a Dutch national team. Van Gaal was appointed national coach in the middle of the World Cup qualifying period last August, after his predecessor Frank de Boer resigned after a failed European Championship. The Netherlands was then eliminated in the eighth final by the Czech Republic. In 2014, the Dutch national team under Van Gaal reached the semi-finals at the World Cup in Brazil.
Also read: Van Gaal is against the World Cup in Qatar, but for vaccinations and for Ronald Koeman
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