After the Champions League round-of-16 games
produced four English quarter-fi nalists, there was plenty
of excitable talk of a new era of English dominance of the
European club game. The quarter-fi nal draw has opened
up the possibility of an all-English Final for the fi rst time
since Manchester United played Chelsea in Moscow
in 2008.
In the last 20 years we have had
an all Italian Final (Milan-Juventus,
2003), one all-English (United-
Chelsea, 2008), one all-German
(Bayern-Dortmund, 2013) and three
all-Spanish (Real Madrid-Valencia,
2000, Real-Atletico, 2014 and 2016).
Perhaps the real question we
should be asking is why, given
their superior fi nances, have English
clubs not reached the latter stages
more often.
The real achievement this season has been the likes of
Ajax and Porto making the quarter-fi nals at the expense
of richer teams from wealthier leagues. Scouting and
signing the best young players is no longer
enough. Key to success for
the likes of Ajax is knowing
when to cash-in on those
players and re-invest in
new signings.Zidane returns to Real Madrid ...................................................................................... p
Controversies and comebacks in Champions League ............................................. p
Chinese teams look to naturalise players .................................................................. p
US Copa America offer rejected ................................................................................... p
Barca close in on Liga title ............................................................................................. p
IFAB reforms handball law ............................................................................................. p
Louis Van Gaal retires ....................................................................................................... p
Claudio Ranieri is back at Roma ................................................................................... p
Mauro Icardi rift with Inter deepens ............................................................................ p
Bayern trio dropped by Germany ................................................................................ pHOLLANDVan Gaal confirms
his retirement
Former Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich,
Manchester United and Holland coach Louis Van
Gaal has confirmed his retirement as a coach.
“I am a pensioner now,” he said on Dutch
television. “I have no ambition to be a technical
director or a TV pundit.
“My wife Truus gave up her job for me 22
years ago and followed me when I went abroad.
I told her I would quit as a coach when I turned
55, but instead kept going until I was 65.
“She is entitled to have a life with me outside
of football. I can say she is very happy.”
Van Gaal won the 1995 Champions League
with Ajax as well as three Eredivisie titles, the
UEFA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and World Club
Cup. He also won two Liga titles and the Spanish
Cup with Barcelona, before returning to Holland
to collect another league title with AZ.
He won the German league-and-cup double
with Bayern Munich and the FA Cup with
Manchester United.
Van Gaal had two spells as coach of Holland,
guiding them to third place at the 2014 World
Cup, and recently turned down an approach to
take charge of Feyenoord.Gavin Hamilton, Editor
10 WORLD SOCCER
Given
their superior
fi nances, why
have English
clubs not
reached the
latter stages
more often?Pensioner...
Louis Van GaalTHE WORLD THIS MONTH
10 WORLD SOCCER