Van Gaal plays down Dutch chances

Coach thinks his team is not one of the favourites for World Cup.

PARIS: Dutch coach Louis van Gaal believes it could prove tough to achieve the target he was set to reach the World Cup semi-finals later this year, he said on Tuesday.

When he took over as national coach for the second time after Euro 2012, van Gaal, 62, was handed the task of a last four finish in Brazil.

But he said that although he had a really talented young side, it could be exposed by more experienced teams in June.

The Dutch – who went out in the group phase of Euro 2012 leading to coach Bert van Marwijk leaving his post - have been drawn in a particularly hard group with holders Spain, highly-thought-of Chile and Australia.

Van Gaal, who made his name as a top level coach with a young Ajax side during the 1990s by guiding them to the 1995 Champions League trophy, pitches his team up against France in a friendly on Wednesday, the last match before he names his provisional 30-man squad for the finals.

Ahead of the game he was at pains to suggest that the Dutch should not be regarded as serious contenders for the World Cup. “According to the FIFA rankings we are eighth or tenth... it doesn’t matter which, but we are not one of the favourites,” he said.

“I view Brazil and Argentina and, from Europe, Spain and Germany as the favourites.

“We have introduced a lot of fresh young blood into the team and played really nice football and scored a lot of goals in the qualifying group,” he concluded.

“However, the semi-finals will be a really hard goal to achieve.”

Klose eyes Ronaldo’s record for his last World Cup

Veteran Germany striker Miroslav Klose has said he wants to break Ronaldo’s record of 15 World Cup goals before stepping down from international duty after Brazil 2014.

Having scored 14 goals for Germany at the last three World Cup tournaments, Lazio’s Klose is just one short of Brazil legend Ronaldo’s record.

“I can’t say that doesn’t interest me, I’m too ambitious for that, but the team always comes first,” said Klose, who is set to make his 131st appearance for Germany in Wednesday’s friendly with Chile.

The ex-Bayern Munich star has struggled with injuries this season after a foot operation in September, then a shoulder problem in November, and he says Euro 2016 will probably be beyond him.

“I think that the World Cup in Brazil is to be my last tournament,” said the 35-year-old.

“The way my fitness is, I find it hard to assume I could play for two more years at the highest level.”

Germany kick-off their World Cup campaign in Group G against Portugal in Salvador on June 16 before taking on Ghana and the Jurgen Klinsmann-coached United States.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2014.

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