CODY CRACKER
Van Gaal backs Gakpo to be the catalyst for Oranje title charge
Louis van Gaal is backing Cody Gakpo to add a few million to his price tag by shining in Holland’s pursuit of World Cup glory. The PSV Eindhoven star, linked with Arsenal and Manchester United, has caught the eye with two goals in two games, including a stunning strike in the draw against Ecuador.
And Dutch head coach Van Gaal believes there is plenty more to come from a player he claims is already looking like he belongs at the top of the game.
“I had more or less expected that he would evolve this way but I believe that he’s going to evolve even further, much further,” said Van Gaal.
“It’s marvellous that he can do this on the world stage.”
Van Gaal is determined to prove his side can finally go all the way at a World Cup.
Holland have made it to the final three times but never lifted the trophy while Van Gaal, who is in his third spell as manager, oversaw a thirdplaced finish in Brazil eight years ago.
Having beaten Senegal and drawn with Ecuador, the last 16 awaits if Holland avoid defeat against Qatar today, although Van Gaal has been open about aiming to lift the trophy.
“I hope [targeting] this is no pressure at all,” he said. “You always have to identify the goal, the purpose for which you are here, and then you can work your way towards that purpose.
“If you don’t identify that purpose and say ‘the last 16 or the quarterfinals is enough’, that isn’t the right way to do things. I never said we’re going to become world champion, I said we can become it, that we have a chance, and the players have also become convinced of that.”
The Oranje are unbeaten in 17 matches, which Van Gaal claimed means they deserve to be considered genuine contenders in Qatar.
“By and large they have performed really well in the squad for us and I’m just assuming that will continue to happen,” said the 71-year-old. “We are unbeaten for 17 matches and if you look at the goal difference, I think that we deserve some respect.”
Frenkie de Jong joined Van Gaal at the pre-match press conference but refused to be drawn on Manchester United’s long-standing interest in him.
He said: “I am at a World Cup tournament. I am not going to talk about club football.”
Qatar go into the game with no hope of going through after defeats by Ecuador and Senegal. But coach Felix Sanchez insists the Arab nation can be proud of their performances, even though they stand on the cusp of becoming the first tournament host to suffer defeat in all three group games.
He said: “Sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to.We need to take into consideration our context. We are a country with a reduced population, this is our first World Cup.
“I don’t feel disappointed or embarrassed. I think these players have shown they can compete.
“Obviously, we all think things didn’t turn out well, or at least as we expected.
“The country will continue working so that the next time Qatar comes to a World Cup, hopefully soon, we will be able to compete better than we did this time.” NETHERLANDS (probable): Noppert; Timber, Van Dijk, Ake; Dumfries, Berghuis, De Jong, Blind; Gakpo, Bergwijn, Memphis. QATAR (probable): Barsham; Miguel, Khoukhi, Hassan; Mohammad, Hatem, Madibo, Al-Haydos, Ahmed; Ali, Muntari.