Holland ‘confirm former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman as their next manager’

Former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman will take over as the Holland manager  after Louis van Gaal steps down from the role following the World Cup in Qatar.   

Koeman was sacked by Barcelona in October 2021 after overseeing their worst start to a season since the 1987-88 campaign but will return to management on January 1. 

Van Gaal thinks Koeman – who is currently negotiating the terms of his deal with the national side – will be a ‘good successor’ due to his ‘experience’.    

Former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman will reportedly take over as the Netherlands manager

While promoting a new documentary about his life on a Dutch television show, Van Gaal revealed that he was battling an ‘aggressive’ form of prostate cancer and said that he had already undergone treatment on 25 occasions.    

However, the 70-year-old said he would lead the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before standing down as the national head coach. 

As a result, Koeman will officially take charge of the Netherlands from January 1, 2023- according to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.  

Van Gaal has given Koeman his blessing to take over as Holland manager next year – claiming the former Barcelona boss would be a ‘sensible successor’. 

 Louis van Gaal announced on Sunday evening that he is battling ‘aggressive’ prostate cancer

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Van Gaal said: ‘I think that is very sensible. I told them myself. It is not all that difficult. A year ago I was the only available coach with experience. 

‘That now applies to Ronald Koeman. I am not saying that for myself, but for him. He would be a good successor.’ 

Van Gaal has also spoken about his decision to step back from the Netherlands job – saying: ‘I have now had four periods as national coach, I went to the hospital in the evening or at night in every period. Without the players knowing.

‘They still see those ruddy cheeks of mine, and think ‘What a healthy pear that is.’ Well, of course, I am not.

‘I don’t think you tell the people you work with like that, because that might influence their choices or decisiveness or whatever. I thought they shouldn’t know.’

Meanwhile, Koeman was sacked by Barcelona for guiding them to their worst start to a season since the 1987-88 campaign.

 Koeman was sacked by Barca after overseeing their worst start to a season since 1987-88

The Catalans were floundering in ninth – almost closer to the relegation zone than to the top of the table – when Koeman was dismissed. 

Koeman was fired on the flight back from a 1-0 defeat to Rayo Vallecano – a result that made history for all the wrong reasons. 

Barcelona had not lost against the small Madrid-based club for 19 years when Van Gaal was in charge. 

The 1-0 defeat could have ended very differently had Memphis Depay not missed a penalty and Sergino Dest not blazed over from five yards out.

But that had been the story of Barcelona’s season up until that point. They had scored just one goal away from home and had not registered a win on the road.