Davy Klaassen will have to sit on the bench during the first World Cup match. National coach Louis van Gaal prefers Cody Gakpo against Senegal tomorrow. The Amsterdammer confirmed this at the closing press conference.
“I always have a division between creative players and loyal players,” begins Amsterdam national coach Louis van Gaal about his choice for Gakpo over Klaassen. “I think you should have three or four creative players in the team at the most. The rest should play for them, there should be balance in the team.”
According to Van Gaal, that is the difference between Gakpo and Klaassen. “Gakpo is more creative, Klaassen plays for the team. If Memphis does not participate, we miss a creative player. Then it makes more sense to choose Gakpo, because Vincent Janssen is not a creative person.”
Stuck under the bar
Earlier in the press conference, Van Gaal had indicated that he would not comment on the line-up. As a result, the chance seems to be increasing that Andries Noppert will be under the bar tomorrow. That means that Ajax keeper Remko Pasveer is probably on the bench. “I’m reasonably convinced of my choice,” said Van Gaal about the line-up. “Of course there are always question marks, but the choices have always remained the same. I analyze the opponent and set up the people who can best play against it.”
Group relations
Qatar has been preparing for the World Cup for six months. “Then you can do a lot,” says the national coach. “I’ve been busy for less than a week. Senegal is the champion of Africa, that’s not nothing. They have eliminated Egypt. At first glance, I expect Senegal to be the most difficult opponent.”
Ecuador is still a big question mark for Van Gaal. “For a long time the question was whether they would play here. My scouts have analyzed them, I haven’t yet. I can judge Qatar, because I have already looked at it. I think Senegal is stronger than the host country.”