Louis van Gaal announces retirement from coaching due to family reasons

Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has announced that he is unlikely to return to coaching due to family reasons and will not be seeking any further employment following his ouster as manager of the Red Devils after the end of last season. He has been without a job for the last few months and is reported to have applied for multiple positions.

The Dutchman has several victories to his credit during his career as a coach, including seven league titles, four national cups, two Uefa Super Cups, the Intercontinental Cup, the Uefa Cup and the Uefa Champions League. He also won the FA Cup during his tenure as the United manager bringing an end to three trophyless years at the club following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Van Gaal managed Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Holland in a coaching career that began in 1991 and is regarded to be among the best managers of his time. He had an offer from an Asian club where he was set to earn £44m ($53m) in three seasons but "events in his family" have forced him to reconsider the decision. "I could go there, but I'm still here," Van Gaal said when asked about the lucrative offer, as quoted by the Telegraph. "So much has happened in my family."

A report in the Dutch newspaper Telegraaf states that last month one of his daughters lost her husband, which had a part to play in his decision. "I thought maybe I would stop, then I thought it would be a sabbatical, but now I do not think I will return to coaching," Van Gaal said.