Nijhuis suggests Louis van Gaal as ideal Netherlands national coach

Football analyst Bas Nijhuis has put forward 74-year-old Louis van Gaal as the ideal candidate to take over as head coach of the Netherlands national team. Van Gaal has already held the position on three separate occasions and has successfully guided the team to both a World Cup quarter-final and a semi-final in the past.

Nijhuis expressed that he is a major fan of Van Gaal both as an individual and as a coach, though he admitted that a return to the dugout is unlikely. The discussion follows the news that Arne Slot, previously considered a primary target for the KNVB, has decided against taking the job to focus on his club career.

Reports indicate that the disagreement stemmed from the duration of the proposed contract. While KNVB director Nigel de Jong was looking for a deal running until 2030, Slot reportedly preferred a shorter term ending after the 2028 European Championship. Nijhuis commented that, in his view, it is simply too early for Slot to manage the national team.

The head coach position has remained vacant since late June, when Ronald Koeman stepped down following the Netherlands' exit in the round of 16 at the World Cup against Morocco. The KNVB is expected to appoint a successor in the near future, with current youth team coach Michael Reiziger emerging as a serious contender for the role.