‘Cillessen is out of shape’ and Van Gaal speaks to naked players via FaceTime

Van Gaal started his closing press conference with an explanation of how the process went before the selection. He had wanted to call up Frimpong from Amsterdam earlier, but that was canceled due to an injury. “Xavi Simons has come up in recent months, because he has played a series of good matches in the Dutch league.”

According to the national coach, it was not an easy task to put together the selection. A Scout meeting was held every Tuesday for the past year. “I think that more than sixty players have been followed by several scouts, so that I don’t get a one-sided picture. Apart from the fact that I watch a lot of games from my seat.”

FaceTime and naked players

“I spent an hour and 45 minutes this morning to cancel the eleven players via FaceTime,” continues Van Gaal. “That was a tough job. I had tears in my eyes with some, because of our band. I have seen naked players because they were still in bed. Actually I can now say: thank you for coming and see you in Qatar”, he concluded. he jokingly finished his speech.

He had indicated that he would not comment on individual cases, but eventually did so. Also about former goalkeeper of Ajax, Jasper Cillessen, one of the dropouts. “I don’t know if you see matches, but he hasn’t been in shape in recent weeks. I think the World Cup is now and not in five weeks, when he trains with me or trains with Frans Hoek. Form is a very difficult concept.” Van Gaal does not yet know who will be his first goalkeeper in Qatar.

World champion?

“The goals of the KNVB for the World Cup are written that we must reach the quarterfinals,” explains Van Gaal. Laughing: “World champion? I think that’s a bit exaggerated goal, the previous board had quarter-finals. That’s more realistic. We do have a good chance of becoming world champion and that’s what we’re going for.”