Depressed Dutch could turn to van Gaal

Louis van Gaal wants to take over the Dutch national team.

The former FC Barcelona and Ajax coach is the strongest contender to succeed Frank Rijkaard who quit as team coach last night after Holland lost a penalty shoot out in the Euro 2000 semi final to Italy.

Another contender for the job is Ruud Gullit who is taking his coaching exams in Amsterdam this summer but the KNVB may see a move for Gullit as a repeat of the situation in which the largely inexperienced Rijkaard was given the job of coaching the Dutch national team in August 1998.

The Dutch coaches union immediately criticised the appointment of Rijkaard but Gullit has coached successfully in the Premiership with Chelsea before a dismal spell at Newcastle ended after just one year.

The experienced van Gaal has won the European Cup with Ajax and two Spanish titles with Barca but resigned from the Catalan giants five weeks ago after a difficult season in charge.

The loss of support in the Barca board room after the announcement that Josep Lluis Nunez was to resign as president saw van Gaal jump before he was pushed. There was little support any more for the Dutch revolution started by van Gaal after his move from Holland.

Barca bought twelve Dutch internationals to play in their squad - the Euro 2000 line up featured four of them in yesterday's semi final - and van Gaal installed five Dutch coaches to help him in his time in Spain.

Holland need to find a replacement for Rijkaard before the start of 2002 World Cup qualifiers in the autumn and van Gaal is keen to take the job for which he seems well qualified.