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?AZ Alkmaar's coach Louis van Gaal reacts during a UEFA Cup second knockout round, sdecond leg soccer match against Newcastle in Alkmaar March 15, 2007. [Xinhua/Reuters Photo] |
Dutch renowned football coach Louis van Gaal will shortly be appointed head coach of Bayern Munich, the Munich soccer club confirmed on Wednesday evening.
The 57-year-old will put his name to a two-year contract in Bavaria, beginning on 1 July this year and lasting until 30 June 2011. The Dutchman will ink the deal within the next few days, according to the official website of Bayern.
The Bayern Munich AG board of directors, comprising Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Uli Hoeness and Karl Hopfner, travelled for talks with Van Gaal's current club AZ Alkmaar of The Netherlands on Wednesday.
Alkmaar agreed to cancel Van Gaal's contract with AZ a year early, unconditionally releasing the coach to join his new club at the start of the new season.
As a reciprocal gesture, Bayern will visit the Netherlands for a friendly against the freshly-crowned domestic champions. There will be no appearance fee charged for the match, provisionally scheduled for summer 2010.
"We're delighted to be bringing Lous van Gaal, a very experienced and successful coach, to FC Bayern Munich," Bayern chairman Rummenigge commented after the talks in Alkmaar.
Van Gaal boasts rich coaching experience as he had served as head coach of Spanish Barcelona, Dutch Ajax and the national squad of The Netherlands.
Under his helm, AZ Alkmaar took the top title of Dutch top league this season with three rounds remaining.
(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2009)
