Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal did not let a hip injury stop him as he conducted his team's training for a crucial World Cup qualifying match against Norway on a golf court.
Van Gaal, 70, suffered a hip injury when he fell off his bicycle near the team hotel on Sunday. He still took part in the training session on Monday, remaining seated in the cart and giving instructions to his assistant Danny Blind, who passed them on to the players.
“Physically, [I’m] not good, but the brain is still working,” Van Gaal said. "I'm in a lot of pain, that's why I was in a buggy during training. I can still do everything and have done all the preparation that I normally would have."
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk said the incident was a shock.
"We are happy that he can lead us and it hasn't impacted much in terms of the preparation. This morning he chaired an important meeting and still guides us. Van Gaal is still keen to make it to the World Cup."
The Netherlands blew a two-goal lead against Montenegro on Saturday in a 2-2 draw. Victory there would have guaranteed qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A draw against Norway in Rotterdam on Tuesday should, however, be enough to ensure qualification.
Meanwhile, defender Stefan de Vrij left the Dutch training camp on Sunday with an injury he picked up against Montenegro and will not be available for Tuesday’s game. The match will be played at an empty Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam because of lockdown measures that came into force amid soaring coronavirus infections in the Netherlands.
