Former World Cup champion Bastian Schweinsteiger can envision his former Bayern Munich coach, Louis van Gaal, as the new Germany boss.
The 74-year-old Dutchman would be a real option for him if the planned deal with Jürgen Klopp to succeed Julian Nagelsmann were to fall through, Schweinsteiger said on ARD after Argentina’s victory over England in the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
“If Louis van Gaal has the energy, then yes, 100%. He’d be a good fit, too. He’s someone who can build something new and has a clear structure,” Schweinsteiger explained.
The 2014 World Cup champion worked with Van Gaal at Bayern between 2009 and 2011.
Van Gaal also has experience with a national team, with three stints at Netherlands, leading them to the third place in the World Cup in 2014.
“He’s already proven with the Netherlands that he can always take them far. If Jürgen Klopp weren’t in the running, Van Gaal would be at the top of my list,” Schweinsteiger.
According to sources close to the matter, an online meeting of the German Football Federation (DFB) supervisory board and the wider stakeholders was purely for information purposes and no decisions were taken.
DFB president Bernd Neuendorf briefed participants on talks held in recent days with Klopp in New York and in Munich with Oliver Mintzlaff, the boss of Klopp’s current employer Red Bull, where the former Liverpool coach is Head of Global Soccer.
Klopp’s possible salary or compensation payments to the football franchise arm of Red Bull were not discussed, sources added.
A sticking point for a final agreement with Klopp are his various private advertising contracts, media reports say. The DFB must seek a solution with its own partners on whether the 59-year-old, as future Germany coach, could also be active for rival companies.
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