Why Louis van Gaal should be Germany head coach

Given the tumultuous past few weeks and months for the German FA (DFB), the choice of Louis van Gaal as the next Germany coach seems counterintuitive.

Let's not forget, this is the man with an endless list of famous quotes and moments ranging from: "I am the way I am, and it's not easy, but I don't want to change my personality just because others want me to" to "I like their [German players] mentality. It's incredible. They are more fantastic than me."

Even recently, the former Netherlands coach told Dutch public broadcaster NOS he thought Argentina's win against his Dutch side in Qatar was "premeditated" so that Lionel Messi could become champion.

It's safe to say that if Germany did appoint van Gaal, the next few months would be no less bumpy than the previous few. But there are enough other factors to suggest it still might be worth it.

"I'm honored to be named a candidate, but no foreigner has ever been chosen Germany coach," van Gaal told Sky Sport Germany in the wake of Hansi Flick's dismissal. "Normally, I won't coach at a club anymore, but a promising country still has a chance to convince me," van Gaal said further to the German daily Bild.

And that, combined with DFB President Bernd Neuendorf's admission that the association was "not ruling out any option — German coach or foreign coach" the possibility of van Gaal becoming Germany's first-ever non-native coach feels very much alive.

Familiar face

Van Gaal has coached at some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Ajax, Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich. His two-year stint with the German champions in 2009-2011 might not have ended in European glory, but many believe his work laid the foundation for the success that followed. He also knows how to coach on the international stage, having enjoyed three stints in charge of the Netherlands, most recently in Qatar.

 Bastian Schweinsteiger and Phillip Lahm, who played under the Dutchman at Bayern and won the World Cup with Germany, have publicly offered their support for van Gaal.

"As a coach, Louis van Gaal stands for discipline, order and structure in the way his teams play," Lahm told Bild. "He always conveys this through a very clear speech. At Bayern, he was the right man who shaped the club at the right time with his philosophy. He has a strong personality with a lot of experience, which he has gained in top international football as a club and national team coach."

His disciplined, somewhat militant style is not for everyone. But it will wipe the slate clean and force players to justify their selection. There are no passengers in a team coached by Louis van Gaal.

Indeed, Germany captain Ilkay Gündogan's recent admission to Sportschau that "perhaps we need confrontation sometimes. We're all nice lads. At the most successful clubs in the world you get into the thick of things at times" is perhaps a sign that van Gaal would not just fit but is actually required right now.

Furthermore, at 72 years old, van Gaal would also be perfectly suited to a short-term deal. This would give the DFB plenty of time to plan for a long-term coach building towards the 2026 World Cup. He'd also be a much cheaper option than Julian Nagelsmann, another name on the list but a coach who is still under contract at Bayern Munich despite his dismissal in March. For an association reportedly not in great health this could prove a deciding factor.

A question of health

The biggest question mark around van Gaal is his health. The Dutchman had successful treatment for prostate cancer in April 2022 but recently admitted in a live TV interview that while he is doing well, the physical toll of surgery and recovery is taking its taxing.

"How am I doing? Well, I had surgery two or three weeks ago," he said. "On September 19, I have to go back again and then everything will be decided — and then a miracle could take place that I am able to go the toilet by myself again."

Even if that news on September 19 is good, his health will have to be managed given the intensity of the job and his medical history but it would make van Gaal's candidacy all the more realistic.

Edited by: Matt Pearson