The Dutch coach says the worst is over. “It should now only get better. It’s a matter of time,” he said.
Dutch coach Louis van Gaal, who announced last week that he was suffering from prostate cancer, reassured on Monday about his state of health, saying in particular that his radiotherapy sessions as well as the operation were “behind him». «I underwent 25 sessions of radiotherapy. Then I had to wait five or six months to see if it worked. This was the case“, he said, quoted by the Dutch news agency ANP. Since his prostate operation in February, everything is “a matter of “training” everything. It takes a little time“, he conceded.
Van Gaal revealed last Sunday that he had been suffering from prostate cancer since 2020, while assuring that the disease will not prevent him from going to Qatar for the World Cup (November 21-December 18). The media then reported that he had undergone 25 sessions of radiotherapy, including in the evening or at night during the regroupings of the “Oranje” team.
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«These radiotherapy sessions were behind me before signing the contract with the KNVB (Dutch Football Federation, editor’s note)in August, however, corrected Van Gaal, questioned by public television NOS on Monday evening, at the preview of his film “Louis” in Amsterdam. He had to undergo an operation at least February. “It should only get better now. It’s a question of time“, he reassured.
Strong emotion
The announcement of the illness of the former coach of Ajax Amsterdam, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, 70, had caused great emotion throughout the world of football. “I never thought it would have had such an impact in the world“, he told the NOS. “I find that incredible. I get emotional about it, it brings tears to my eyes but it also gives me energy that so many people care about me“, he added about all the marks of support he had received.
The Dutch selection, paid in Group A of the World Cup with Qatar, Senegal and Ecuador, will play the opening match of the competition against the Senegalese Lions on November 21. Louis van Gaal intends to be in the game.