Xavi appointed as Netherlands coach: No local candidates, Dutch FA forced to look abroad

Written by Han Bing As in the previous two major tournaments, the once top European side Netherlands finds itself in the awkward position of having no local coach willing to take over. Since Koeman's departure on June 30, the Dutch FA has been unable to find a replacement for almost a month and a half. Almost all local coaches remained silent; the elderly Van Gaal was the last resort, but his age was unacceptable to the Dutch FA. The most successful Dutch coach at present, Slot, flatly refused, even stating that he never actually discussed salary and contract length with the Dutch FA. Guardiola and Klopp also declined the Dutch FA's invitation, with the latter quickly becoming the new coach of Germany.

With the UEFA Nations League matches in September approaching, the Dutch FA had no time to wait any longer. Ultimately, Dutch FA director Nigel de Jong gave a shocking answer: Spanish coach Xavi, who had been unemployed for two years, took over. On Tuesday, de Jong flew to Malaga to finalize the coaching arrangement with Xavi, who was on vacation. It is certain that Ruud van Nistelrooy will continue as assistant coach, but most of the other assistants will be Spaniards appointed by Xavi.

Xavi signed a four-year contract with the Dutch FA, becoming the first foreign coach of the Netherlands in 48 years since Austrian Ernst Happel in 1978. Since Michels took over on short notice three months before the 1974 World Cup and led the team to the final, Dutch football, like other top European national teams, has almost always insisted on using local coaches. In 52 years, only Happel in 1977-1978 was an exception: the Austrian coach led the team in 10 matches, bringing them back to the World Cup final. Since then, a total of 30 coaches have all been Dutch, with Michels coaching four times, Advocaat and Van Gaal three times each, and Beenhakker, Hiddink, and Koeman twice each. Ultimately, they reached a dead end with no one available.

In fact, as early as several years ago, the Dutch FA had already encountered many situations where no local coach was willing to take over the national team. Koeman only came out of retirement after the Dutch FA repeatedly lobbied him when no one applied. When this last local coach willing to coach the Netherlands also left, the Dutch FA completely lost its way. Ten Hag, who became the technical director of Twente earlier this year, and PSV's current coach Bos both had no intention of taking over; Reiziger, mentioned by the media, clearly lacked experience. The FA's selection criteria were erratic, frequently switching between local and foreign coaches, leaving everyone confused.

Other football powerhouses like France, Germany, Belgium, and Italy had already secured their new coaches early on. Van Bommel took over Belgium but did not choose to apply for the Netherlands job. The Dutch FA made slow progress and even had to meet with captain Van Dijk, forward Memphis, and others to seek their opinions. Ultimately, Xavi, who inherited Cruyff's tactical philosophy and has a certain connection to Dutch football tradition as an "external disciple," became the firefighting coach.

Xavi is a world-class star developed by Cruyff's La Masia system, and was coached by Van Gaal and Rijkaard. As a player, he was a teammate of the de Boer brothers, Cocu, Zenden, Overmars, and Kluivert at Barcelona, and as a coach, he also coached Dutch players like de Jong. He is very familiar with Dutch football style. In the Dutch FA's official announcement, Xavi emphasized his close connection to Dutch football: "I am deeply influenced by Michels and Cruyff. I can say I am somewhat like a descendant of Dutch football."

Dutch international Simons was the first to congratulate Xavi on social media, emphasizing that his name was inspired by his idol Xavi. He also attached a childhood photo of himself as a ball boy with the Barcelona starting lineup, where Xavi is seen interacting warmly with him. Simons himself trained at La Masia for 10 years before moving to Paris Saint-Germain. Gullit supported Xavi's appointment but suggested Kluivert join the coaching staff. Former Dutch international Zenden represented the "skeptical" camp, expressing surprise and concern over Xavi's appointment.

The Dutch FA is very satisfied with hiring Xavi, but the Dutch media see it as a desperate gamble. After all, most of the current Dutch squad plays in the Premier League, and Xavi is not familiar with the Premier League. Among the current Dutch players, only Frenkie de Jong, Memphis, and Simons have played for Barcelona, so Xavi has some understanding of them. The Netherlands is in a crucial period of transition, with key players over 30 such as Van Dijk, de Vrij, de Roon, Weghorst, and Memphis about to gradually leave the stage. Helping the Netherlands through this generational gap, achieving good results in the Nations League and the European Championship in two years, and regaining the confidence of a top team are Xavi's urgent tasks after taking office.