Thursday, 27th November, 2014
PSV Eindhoven technical director Marcel Brands admits that Louis van Gaal was a candidate to take over at the club in 2012, but the side were forced to abandon any idea of his appointment given the reaction of their fans to the prospect.
Van Gaal had a lengthy relationship with PSV's fierce rivals Ajax, but even so, the Eindhoven side were prepared to look at appointing him in the lead up to their anniversary year of 2013.
The current Manchester United manager was joined as a candidate by then-Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk and former Rangers boss Dick Advocaat.
"Yes, I asked him if he saw himself at PSV", Brands told Voetbal International.
"We had three candidates in the run up to our anniversary year: Louis van Gaal, Bert van Marwijk and Dick Advocaat. There was no first choice.
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"Van Marwijk was still at the Dutch FA and had already given his word to remain after Euro 2012.
"Advocaat hesitated. Louis certainly was open to it.
"But it was a little sensitive here. Louis had just had the saga with the directorship of Ajax. You know the views."
And Brands admits that when word leaked Van Gaal could be a candidate, several fan groups quickly made their opposition clear.
"People in administrative positions and myself received signals that they were not very enthusiastic about it."
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