Netherlands head coach Louis van Gaal has revealed he came "very close" to accepting the managerial offer from Tottenham Hotspur, before deciding to take over at Manchester United.
The 62-year-old Dutchman, who has already been unveiled as the new manager of Manchester United, will take control at Old Trafford after the end of the World Cup in July.
Now van Gaal, who is busy preparing the Netherlands side for the World Cup, admits it was very hard for him to decline the managerial offer from the Spurs, the club he supported when he was a young boy.
"I came very close. Very close. As a little boy I was a fan of Tottenham Hotspur with the team of Jimmy Greaves when he was the champion. Jimmy Greaves was my idol. So I was very close. Why? Because I was a fan of Spurs during my childhood. Those fantastic white shirts and Jimmy Greaves," admitted the former Bayern Munich boss.
Despite refusing to discuss his impending move to Old Trafford, as his focus fully lies on the World Cup, Van Gaal provided some insight on his management techniques.
The former Barcelona manager says he likes to form good relationships with his players.
"I'm bothered about whether the players like me. It's very important. I am a coach who wants a good relationship with my players. And I do everything to reach that level but sometimes it is not reachable as the players are not open-minded and don't adapt to the norms that I put in the team," said Van Gaal.
The Dutchman claims "most of the players" he has managed say "lovely things" about him, even though he admits there are a few exceptions.
"There are also players who are very angry with me. Frank Ribery, Luca Toni, Hristo Stoichkov and Rivaldo. Rivaldo was nothing and I bought him and then he was a world player of the year. When you are not listening, you are always out of the team, or I go out."
Meanwhile, van Gaal expressed his disappointment after hearing Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale and Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey will not be featuring for Wales in the friendly against the Netherlands at the Amsterdam Arena on Wednesday.
The Dutchman was looking for some tough competition during Netherlands' final pre-World Cup friendly against Wales. But he feels Wales will fail to provide any threat without their star players Bale and Ramsey.
"I have said to my board that they have to insist on playing against Gareth Bale and Ramsey. But this can happen in football. I don't know why, whether it is injury or holidays," said van Gaal.
"It is better that we have the best team of Wales because we need resistance. I think Wales without these players are weaker."
