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1 month ago
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Louis van Gaal has provided a positive update on his fight with prostate cancer and revealed he was approached by a big European club to become their manager.
Van Gaal, 72, stepped down from his role as head coach of the Netherlands national side after the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, having revealed his shock diagnosis.
The former Ajax, Barcelona and Manchester United boss disclosed he was being treated for an aggressive form of cancer which he had hidden from his players.
But the Dutchman, who requires regular radiation therapy and needed urine bags, struck an optimistic tone when discussing his condition in a TV appearance.
Speaking to RTL, Van Gaal said: 'My health? I am doing well.
Louis van Gaal has provided a positive update on his fight with aggressive prostate cancer
Van Gaal required radiation therapy and urine bags (pictured: Van Gaal and his wife, Truus)
The 72-year-old was questioned on his condition during a recent TV appearance on RTL
'After three years of radiation therapy, kidney infections, prostate surgery, I can finally manage it. I can pee naturally again, which is important.'
He then joked: 'But I can't make love anymore, that's a problem.'
Van Gaal also lifted the lid on being tabled a job offer by Bayern Munich before the Bundesliga club swooped for Vincent Kompany in their search for a new head coach.
'Bayern Munich asked me to be their manager,' he said. 'I was surprised.'
The Bavarian heavyweights are known to have spoken to multiple candidates and were rejected by several - with the process leading them to settle on Kompany.
It is believed Xabi Alonso, Ralf Rangnick, Julian Nagelsmann and Roger Schmidt all turned down the job after Thomas Tuchel opted to leave at the end of last season.
Van Gaal revealed he was approached to become Bayern Munich's head coach this year
He took charge of Manchester United between 2014 and 2016 and won the FA Cup (above)
Van Gaal stepped down from his role as Netherlands head coach in 2022 to focus on his battle
Van Gaal had coached Bayern between 2009 and 2011, winning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and DFL-Supercup and finishing as the Champions League runner-up.
He also took charge of Manchester United between 2014 and 2016 and lifted the FA Cup during his final campaign before being brutally dismissed by club chiefs.
After a five-year break, Van Gaal returned to the Netherlands dugout in 2021.
Asked in a previous interview whether his cancer has changed his outlook on life, Van Gaal said: 'Not much, really. Look, I come from a family in which we are nine brothers. I am the smallest. My father died when I was 11 years old. He died at 53.
'My first wife died when she was 39. And all my brothers died too soon. I'm used to death. That's why I know that death is a part of life, and you can deal with it.
'When I first heard I had cancer I said, 'Okay, it's not good news, but I better try to do something about it.' Each human can react differently. That's why I say: "Be yourself."'
English (US)