{"id":563701,"date":"2020-08-26T16:37:36","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T20:37:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonfootball.com\/?p=563701"},"modified":"2020-08-26T16:37:36","modified_gmt":"2020-08-26T20:37:36","slug":"louis-van-gaal-reveals-daniel-levy-blew-the-chance-to-hire-him-at-tottenham-hotspur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2020\/08\/26\/louis-van-gaal-reveals-daniel-levy-blew-the-chance-to-hire-him-at-tottenham-hotspur\/","title":{"rendered":"Louis van Gaal Reveals Daniel Levy \u2018Blew the Chance\u2019 to Hire Him at Tottenham Hotspur"},"content":{"rendered":"

Louis van Gaal has revealed he was nearly hired as Tottenham Hotspur<\/a> manager but signed with Manchester United<\/a> instead due to slow negotiations with Daniel Levy.<\/p>\n

The Dutchman took charge from David Moyes who lasted just ten months<\/a> at Old Trafford after taking over from Sir Alex Ferguson.<\/p>\n

Tottenham Hotspur Came Close to Appointing Louis van Gaal<\/h2>\n

Concrete Interest<\/h3>\n

At the end of the 2013\/14 season, Tottenham were on the lookout for new manager after relieving Tim Sherwood<\/a> of his duties. Sherwood managed for 28 games<\/a> after he took over from Andre Villas-Boas, who was sacked in December.<\/p>\n

Van Gaal led the Dutch national team to a third place finish at the 2014 FIFA World Cup but left his post shortly after its conclusion.<\/p>\n

This availability drew the attention of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, who flew to Holland to begin negotiating a deal with the free agent.<\/p>\n

Speaking to FourFourTwo<\/a>, van Gaal said: \u201cDaniel Levy flew into Holland with a private jet and came to my house, where we spoke for several hours.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe even stayed on to watch the Southampton-Spurs match later that afternoon [which Spurs won 3-2]. He asked for my thoughts about that game, so that was a kind of test as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spurs Snubbed Due to Slow Negotiations<\/h3>\n

Although there had been initial contract talks between Tottenham and van Gaal, delayed negotiations allowed Manchester United to swoop in with an offer of their own.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took Spurs a long time to make a firm offer, and United approached me in the meantime. They acted far quicker,\u201d van Gaal continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also liked the idea of going there, to coach the number one club in England \u2013 just like I had done before in Holland, Spain and Germany. If Spurs had come with a concrete offer earlier on, I\u2019d have signed for them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpurs were actually a club I liked when I was younger, as I was a big fan of Jimmy Greaves. I told Levy that as well, but he blew the chance by waiting so long.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite winning the FA Cup for United, van Gaal was sacked<\/a> from his post at the end of his second season in Manchester.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for Spurs and Levy, United\u2019s poach allowed them to make a move for Mauricio Pochettino<\/a>, who led the north London club back into regular European limelight.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>