Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WIN IT ALL? I HEAR YOU!
Van Gaal confident Dutch can win World Cup with skipper Van Dijk
FROM NEIL MOXLEY in Doha
LOUIS VAN GAAL is confident he can lead the Dutch to World Cup glory, claiming his squad is better than the one that finished third in Brazil in 2014.
The former Manchester United boss led Holland to the semi-finals in South America eight years ago before the wheels fell off.
Failure to qualify for Euro 2016 and the World Cup in Russia two years later was a national embarrassment but, in his third stint as boss, LVG has guided them to Qatar. And the 71-year-old, being treated for testicular cancer, struck a bullish tone ahead of today’s opener against Senegal.
He said: “I believe in this group of players. In 2014 we came third with a squad of lesser quality so I expect more from this group. It depends on technical skills and the luck to score at the right time.
“We could become world champions even though there are squads at a higher level than mine.
“The thing is how they deal with it. And there, I think, I benefit from a head start. So, what I’m saying is that we CAN become world champions. Whether we WILL is a separate issue.”
Asked to explain his confidence in a side quoted at 16-1 by bookies, Van Gaal offered an insight into the strength of a group being led by Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
He said: “These players are well connected. They work together professionally and that always contributes to success.
“Besides that, they want to carry out what we agree upon before the games. Not every team wants to execute that.
“I’ve been a coach for more than 30 years and there are always players who disagree and don’t want to execute what you say. That can lead to a lot of issues. But this group is keen. The squad in 2014 wanted to execute but the quality is now higher. Plus, I have an excellent captain. I didn’t appoint Virgil – he was there before me – but he is a truly excellent captain.”
The Dutch take on Senegal, the winners of the Africa Cup Of Nations earlier this year, at Al Thumama this evening and Van Gaal believes the Africans, even without the injured Sadio Mane, will pose a real threat. Ecuador, at least on the evidence of last night’s easy win over host nation Qatar in the opening game of the tournament, will be no pushovers.
He said: “Senegal aren’t AFCON champions for nothing. They beat Egypt, who have some big players. They will be the toughest opponents in the group.
“Ecuador are a mystery.” Senegal are 100-1 to win the World Cup but would have been a lot shorter in the betting if former Liverpool star Mane had recovered from a knee injury.