
<p>Louis van Gaal will attempt to pull Ajax out of their present difficulties. The Dutch powerhouses have been off to their worst start in over 60 years and are looking to turn things around.</p>



<p>There will be no return to management for the former manager. However, he will serve as an adviser on soccer-related technical topics for the club. The ex-Dutch national team boss, now 72 years old and recuperating from prostate cancer, is coming to the aid of the Eredivisie giants who are faltering on and off the field.</p>



<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/louis-van-gaal-would-be-ideal-man-to-coach-ajax-van-der-vaart-20230925-WST-458394.html">Ajax</a> made the announcement on Tuesday after reports of Jan van Halst’s anticipated retirement from the club’s supervisory board. The club announced that he would quit the organization when his tenure as temporary CEO ends.</p>



<h5>Van Gaal returns to one of his original clubs</h5>



<p>On the team’s official website, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/van-gaal-insists-world-cup-was-rigged-to-help-messi-win-20230905-WST-454005.html">Van Gaal</a> expressed his desire to aid his former side: “I want to help Ajax. I currently spend a big part of my life in Portugal, and this can be well combined with my role as an external advisor.</p>



<p>“I am willing to offer my football knowledge to the Supervisory Board, especially when Leo van Wijk and Michael van Praag are appointed. We must find our sportive way back up to the top, and we all have to contribute to that.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Louis van Gaal will advise the Supervisory Board of AFC Ajax NV on football technical matters.</p>— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFCAjax/status/1709278517488148481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>With just five points in five games, the Godenzonen find themselves in uncharted circumstances. The club sits 15th in the Eredivisie, one spot above the relegation zone. This is the poorest start for the club since the 1964-65. Johan Cruyff was a member of the Ajax junior squad at the time.</p>



<h2>Long history between Louis van Gaal and Ajax</h2>



<p>The history between Van Gaal and the Amsterdam giants is rich. He was the head coach during the last UEFA Champions League triumph in 1995.</p>



<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/bayern-munich-tv-schedule/">Bayern</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/barcelona-tv-schedule/">Barcelona</a>, and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a> are just a few of the elite clubs he has trained during his time. Two separate times, most recently at the 2022 <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/">World Cup </a>in Qatar, he coached the Dutch national team.</p>



<p>The Netherlands, under Van Gaal’s direction, advanced to the quarterfinals of last year’s tournament in Qatar. Van Gaal’s side <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/dutch-captain-van-dijk-defends-messi-after-van-gaal-controversy-20230906-WST-454446.html">lost to Lionel Messi</a> and the eventual champions, Argentina.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Ulmer/Teamfoto</em>.</p>


Ex-Netherlands boss Louis Van Gaal back at Ajax in another role

Dutch soccer powerhouse Ajax has been off to their worst start in decades, prompting longtime coach Louis van Gaal to come out of retirement.


<p>The shocking allegation that Louis van Gaal made regarding Lionel Messi’s World Cup triumph has caused a major uproar in the soccer community.</p>



<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/netherlands-national-team-tv-schedule/">The Netherlands</a>, coached by Van Gaal, were eliminated in the Quarter-Finals by the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/argentina-national-team-tv-schedule/">Argentina</a>. December 10, 2022, was the date of their matchup when in a nail-biter, Le Albiceleste edged out Die Oranje 4-3 in the penalty shootout to go to the Semi-Finals.</p>



<p>After goals from Nahuel Molina and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/pulisic-delivers-sly-jab-at-celebrities-who-go-to-see-messi-20230906-WST-454362.html">Messi</a>, Lionel Scaloni’s side had a commanding 2-0 lead heading into stoppage time. Nonetheless, Wout Weghorst scored twice in the last minutes to force extra time and ultimately a thrilling penalty shootout.</p>



<h2>What did Van Gaal say of Argentina’s World Cup triumph?</h2>



<p>After the game, Van Gaal, at 72 years old, announced his retirement from managing the Dutch national team. In the end, Messi and Argentina would defeat Croatia in the semifinals before defeating France in the World Cup Final.</p>



<p>However, 10 months since the tournament concluded, Van Gaal has doubted Argentina’s victory as legitimate. For the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/">2022 World Cup</a>, the Dutchman has argued that Le Albiceleste was <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/van-gaal-insists-world-cup-was-rigged-to-help-messi-win-20230905-WST-454005.html">given an unfair advantage</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">VAN GAAL SAYS WORLD CUP WAS RIGGED FOR MESSI 🏆<br><br>Ex-Dutch coach Louis van Gaal says it was predetermined ahead of time for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi%F0%93%83%B5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi𓃵</a>&apos;s Argentina to be crowned World Cup champions. <a href="https://t.co/VotEZWbLRY">pic.twitter.com/VotEZWbLRY</a></p>— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1699071249299976568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Several calls that went in favor of Messi’s team were questioned by the Dutch coach. In addition, he claimed that a number of Argentine players weren’t penalized throughout the game. “I don’t really want to say much about it”, the 72-year-old told <a href="https://nos.nl/artikel/2489267-wk-vooropgezet-spel-volgens-van-gaal-messi-moest-wereldkampioen-worden">NOS</a>.</p>



<p>“If you see how Argentina gets the goals and how we get the goals and how some of Argentina’s players crossed the line and weren’t punished, then I think it’s all preconceived game. I mean everything I say by that. That Messi had to become world champion? I think so, yes.”</p>



<h5>How did Van Dijk respond to accusations against Lionel Messi?</h5>



<p>The Dutch team’s captain, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/van-dijk-may-see-extra-suspension-for-red-card-reaction-20230829-WST-452650.html">Virgil Van Dijk</a>, has now distanced himself and his team from their ex-coach’s remarks. “I heard it [Van Gaal’s words] this morning, indeed. And that’s actually it. It’s of course his opinion. Everyone is allowed to have an opinion. I do not share the same opinion”, he said in an interview with <a href="https://nos.nl/artikel/2489301-oranje-aanvoerder-van-dijk-over-uitspraken-van-gaal-deel-zijn-mening-niet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOS</a>.</p>



<p><em>Photo: IMAGO &amp; Moritz Müller</em></p>


Dutch captain Van Dijk defends Messi after Van Gaal controversy

To no one's surprise, Virgil van Dijk disagreed with Louis van Gaal's assessment that the World Cup was fixed so that Lionel Messi would win.

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Ajax

Ex-Netherlands boss Louis Van Gaal back at Ajax in another role

Argentina

Dutch captain Van Dijk defends Messi after Van Gaal controversy