Van Gaal backtracks on retirement; future 'depends on offers'
Agence France-Presse
Phil Noble / Reuters
Madrid – Louis van Gaal says he is not definitely done with football just yet, after appearing to suggest earlier this week that he was retiring from the game at 65.
The Dutchman, who was sacked by Manchester United last year after an uninspiring stint at Old Trafford, had told popular daily tabloid De Telegraaf: “I don’t believe I’ll return to work.”
But less than a day later Van Gaal rowed back on that, telling Spanish radio overnight that nothing was final and his future “depends on offers” at the end of what he has called a sabbatical.
“I am not retiring,” Van Gaal, whose decorated coaching career included two spells at Barcelona and with the Dutch national side, told Cadena Ser radio.
“I took a sabbatical year and then maybe I will decide whether or not to retire. There is a strong possibility that I will retire, but it’s not final.”
Van Gaal revealed that he had received an offer from La Liga crisis club Valencia.
“It was about a month ago, but I said no. Next year, it might have been different. That depends on how I feel.”
Clarifying his comments published in Tuesday’s De Telegraaf, Van Gaal — who says he has received dozens of lucrative offers since his United departure last May — added: “I only said that perhaps I was going to retire. But I don’t know, it’s still not the moment to say.
“That’s why I took a sabbatical for a year, and then I would decide. It depends also on what offers I get.”
