Van Gaal to leave Netherlands post after World Cup

Louis van Gaal has announced he will step down as Netherlands coach for a second time after the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 

Van Gaal previously took charge of the Oranje in 2000 following the departure of Frank Rijkaard, but resigned when the team failed to reach the 2002 World Cup. Ten years later, the 61-year-old returned to take up the reins from Bert van Marwijk after the Netherlands lost all three of their group games at UEFA EURO 2012.

"I took over as national coach with the ambition of going to a World Cup or a European Championship. I have never done this before and I am doing everything to make sure I can achieve it. After that I will leave," Van Gaal told a press conference in Hoenderlo, where his team are preparing for friendly games against Indonesia on 7 June and China four days later.

"I am constantly having to borrow other coach's players and I don't enjoy that," he added. "At the end of the day, what I love is being with my players every day and working with them on the pitch."

Van Gaal made his name as a coach at AFC Ajax in the 1990s, securing three successive Eredivisie titles, the 1992 UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League three years later. A championship winner with FC Barcelona and AZ Alkmaar, he was most recently employed by FC Bayern München, whom he left in April 2011 having guided the Bavarians to Bundesliga glory the previous season.