Former NOS news anchor also points to PSV: “The KNVB was too late”

The soap opera surrounding the national team coach position of the Netherlands team seems set to continue for a bit longer. Earlier, current PSV coach Peter Bosz, Erik ten Hag and Arne Slot have already indicated that they are not open to becoming the successor of Ronald Koeman.

As a result, Oranje has still been without a national coach since 30 June and it currently seems that only two candidates remain. Former PSV player Michael Reiziger and Louis van Gaal currently appear to be the clear candidates for the national coach position.

Tom Egbers, former presenter on behalf of NOS, sees Louis van Gaal as a frontrunner despite his age of almost 75 years. ''When Louis van Gaal goes to the press, which is happening at the moment, then you have to take it seriously into account that he will do it if he is asked. Only that hasn't happened yet. He is a much stronger candidate than Reiziger'', Egbers says in the programme Goedenavond Nederland of WNL on the NPO.

Next, the presenter lists the names of the candidates who have backed out. ''It seems that being national team coach is a difficult subject for the current coaches! The dream coach, Arne Slot, did not want to. For that, Peter Bosz, the coach of PSV, was already asked. He indicated that if he had been asked before the last World Cup, he would have wanted to consider it. Now he is not doing it. The KNVB was too late,'' continues the former presenter of NOS Studio Sport.

Egbers sees Reiziger as the top candidate to become the new national team coach. ''Reiziger has been spoken with at length, both with KNVB director Nigel de Jong and Clarence Seedorf, who is a commissioner at the KNVB. They were also not secretive about it and have been seen everywhere in public. For him, the hands don’t immediately come together. The national team coaching role should be the crowning achievement of a fine career for a coach. His record is not impressive'', the journalist says.

The name of Sarina Wiegman is also being discussed and, according to reporter and FC Utrecht supporter Tom Staal, that is not a serious option for Oranje. ''She wins titles, but at a whole different level. Women's football has simply made much less progress; it has existed for much less time when you look at hockey or tennis. Women's football still has a long way to go'', said Staal.