Louis van Gaal has hinted that he has retired from coaching, saying family reasons has convinced him to call it a day.
The Dutch tactician has been out of work since his departure from Manchester United in May but told De Telegraaf he had turned down offers from the Far East including one from China worth £44million over three seasons.
“I could go [to China], but I’m still here,” Van Gaal said. “So much has happened in my family.”
The former Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Netherlands and Ajax head coach had professed a desire to return to coaching when he was sacked by United with a year remaining on the contract but now seems to have called it a day at 65 years of age.
The report said that last month one of Van Gaal’s daughters lost her husband, and that has weighed heavily on his decision.
“I thought maybe I would stop, then I thought it would be a sabbatical, but now I do not think I will return to coaching,” he said.
Van Gaal was reportedly interested in managing the Belgium national side, but Belgian officials found his philosophy to be “draining and exhausting” sources close to the talks revealed.
While Van Gaal failed to impress Belgium bosses, Roberto Martinez was the stand-out candidate after giving a video presentation which dissected Belgium’s Euro 2016 highs and lows.
Although he 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.
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 fan base. For supporters of other major clubs across the continent, though, he will also be remembered for the myriad successes he masterminded.