PSV Eindhoven director of football Marcel Brands has claimed that the club were close to appointing Louis van Gaal as manager before he took the Netherlands job in 2012.
The Dutchman had been out of work for almost a year after leaving Bayern Munich before taking charge of the national team for a second time. He then led the Netherlands to the semi-finals of the World Cup last summer prior to joining current side Manchester United.
Brands has suggested that disagreements with Ronald Koeman and Zlatan Ibrahimovic during his days at Ajax were a factor in PSV overlooking Van Gaal for their managerial vacancy.
"Van Gaal was interested and I think he would have come," he told Voetbal International.
"I think he would have been a great manager for PSV, but not everyone inside the club agreed with me.
"There were a lot of mixed feelings about him at the club. Louis had problems when he resigned at Ajax as football director. That was all very sensitive."
Van Gaal led United into the Champions League places in his first season at Old Trafford.
Steven Toplis
