´I saw naked players!´ – Netherlands boss Van Gaal opens up on squad calls

Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal said he saw several of his players “naked” when he called them to inform them of his World Cup squad selections.

The Oranje have named their 26-man party for Qatar 2022, with a string of surprise selections and omissions in Friday’s announcement.

Uncapped trio Xavi Simons, Jeremie Frimpong and Andries Noppert have been included, but there is no place for Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch or Newcastle United’s Sven Botman.

Speaking on the calls to inform prospective squad ahead of the announcement, Van Gaal reflected on the difficulty of his selections, while revealing he caught several players unawares.

“It was really tough,” he said at a press conference. “I even took the time difference into for the people in England. I saw naked players, because they were still in bed!

“I’ve said a hundred times I think this group is fantastic. But this is about the vision of the national coach. I discovered that this morning when I told a player he would not attend a World Cup. It is not easy.”