“It’s nice that my guess about the link to Qatar comes true,” laughed Van Gaal in a first reaction for the camera of the NOS† “I have only been to those countries a little. Once in Qatar with Bayern Munich, on holiday in Senegal and never in Ecuador.”
Sadio Mane
The national coach agreed that Senegal is the strongest opponent in advance. “Sadio Mane in particular is of course a great player. I already wanted that when I was trainer of Manchester United, but then he opted for the competitor”, Van Gaal referred to Liverpool, where he plays together with Orange captain Virgil van Dijk. „I have never seen Qatar play, but luckily we have very good scouts. We haven’t lost since we started in August.”
Van Gaal also thought that this is a better draw than the one for the World Cup in 2014, when he encountered Spain, Chile and Australia with the Orange. “But that doesn’t mean anything. At the time, we also had a very difficult time with a fighter-boss team like Australia. In addition, I think we have a group of players that always prepare very well, also for matches against countries with the status of Qatar.”
The fact that the Orange squad has ended up in Group A means that Van Gaal has little preparation time in the run-up to the first European Championship match. “But if we get far, we’ll have more time later in the tournament. In addition, we have six more Nations League matches that I will use as preparation. But of course we also want to win it.”
Qatar national coach predicts tough World Cup but is silent about Van Gaal
National coach Félix Sánchez of the national football team of Qatar gave a short reaction after the draw for the World Cup. “Every group had been very tough for us,” said the Spaniard. “We are going to prepare as best as possible, we can’t do more.”
Host Qatar will meet the Dutch national team, Senegal and Ecuador in the group stage of the global final round. “Look at our position in the world rankings,” said Sánchez. “That says enough. But that doesn’t mean we don’t go for it. Of course there are opportunities.”
The Netherlands is the current number 10 in the world ranking. Senegal, the last winner of the Africa Cup, is 20th. Ecuador ranks 46th on the global football ladder and Qatar 51st.
Sánchez was FC Barcelona’s youth coach in 1996 and 1997 when Louis van Gaal was in charge of the Spanish club’s main squad. He did not feel like talking about the national coach of the Netherlands and even left the mixed zone when Van Gaal’s name was mentioned.
After the draw, many foreign reporters searched in vain for Van Gaal, who was not allowed to fly to Qatar due to a positive PCR test. That probably had everything to do with recent statements by the national coach of Orange, who stated last week that he thought it was ridiculous that Qatar was allowed to organize the World Cup.