In the search for a new national coach, former international Michael Ballack advises the German Football Association to contact Louis van Gaal (72). “He is certainly not an easy person, but that doesn’t matter,” says Ballack in football magazine ‘Kicker’. “I would choose an experienced man and Van Gaal is an exceptional trainer.”
The German Football Association fired Hansi Flick last week after a series of poor results in practice matches. As organizers of next year’s European Championship, Germany does not have to play qualifying matches, but the defeat against Japan (1-4) was too much. Under the leadership of interim coach Rudi Völler, France won 2-1 last Tuesday.
‘No German passport’
98-time international Ballack thinks that the national team needs a different approach than that of Joachim Löw and Flick. “Van Gaal is a person with respect, has experienced everything and knows the complete repertoire of coaching,” said Ballack. “We’ll just have to get used to the fact that he doesn’t have a German passport.”
Former internationals Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm previously mentioned the Dutchman as a top candidate. Van Gaal was eliminated with the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the World Cup by Argentina last year and then retired. He himself does not rule out a return as national coach, as he hinted last week. The German association is said to have now sounded out Julian Nagelsmann.
Past in Germany
Van Gaal knows German football inside and out. The Dutch tactician was active as trainer of Bayern Munich from 2009 to 2011. With the Record champions he won the national title once in two seasons and he also won the German Cup and Super Cup. Van Gaal won 59 of his 96 matches with Bayern and lost eighteen times.
