Recently, Xavi, the new Netherlands national team coach, discussed the influence of Dutch football on him and his plans as a manager in an interview.

Welcome to the Netherlands and the national team. What are your first impressions after these past few days?

Xavi: Thank you very much. I'm truly honored to be here. Becoming the Netherlands national team coach is a genuine privilege for me. It's a unique opportunity and an enormous challenge in my career.

What I feel is that I've come to a "football academy." This is a place that has taught me so much throughout my career as both a player and a coach.

As you know, I have deep connections to this country. I'm proud of that, and I hope the Dutch people will also be proud of this team. That's my main objective.

This is a fantastic project. I believe in this generation of players, and I believe in this project.

I also want to thank many people. First, Nigel de Jong, who contacted me when we first met in Barcelona. And Marian, and Clarence Seedorf, who played an important role in my accepting this opportunity.

I'm truly very grateful. I'm ready to get to work, and I'm very, very excited. I know this is an enormous challenge and there will be pressure, but I love this kind of pressure. Yes, it feels like I'm returning to football, which I love, and I'm very happy about that.

We're also very pleased to see you here. Yesterday you visited the training facilities and offices. What were your first impressions?

Xavi: I was deeply impressed by how excited and enthusiastic all the staff here are, just like I am.

I could feel that everyone has high expectations of me and my coaching staff, and that's a good thing.

Moreover, I received a very warm welcome from everyone, and I'm very grateful for that.

I think the facilities here are truly remarkable. I believe this place has the perfect atmosphere needed to build a united team and family. It's truly amazing. I'm very happy. That's what I feel right now.

When the official announcement was made, you used the expression "son of Dutch football." Can you explain why?

Xavi: As I mentioned before, I have deep connections to the Netherlands and this country.

Above all, there's our Barcelona football philosophy. We learned so much from Dutch football philosophy through Rinus Michels and later Johan Cruyff.

I believe Cruyff was a man who changed the world of football. He changed everything, and he was a genius.

So we learned a lot from this football philosophy.

Later, the person who truly gave me the opportunity to enter professional football was Louis van Gaal. I'm very grateful to Louis for giving me this opportunity.

He believed in me, even more than I believed in myself. So I have a very deep connection with Louis.

And there was Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman.

I also maintain very good relationships with many former Dutch teammates and longtime friends. That's why I say I have deep connections to this country.

You just mentioned Cruyff. Not only did he change FC Barcelona, but he also changed you personally. Do you remember any of his teachings?

Xavi: There are too many to mention. I met him several times, and unfortunately when I knew him, it was toward the end of his life. But that experience was truly wonderful.

I learned not only football from him but also many life lessons.

He always wanted to enjoy life and be happy. The way he spoke was always positive.

So that's also how I work now.

I learned so much from Johan Cruyff, Louis van Gaal, Ronald Koeman, and many other coaches from this country.

We also interviewed Louis, and he has something to say to you.

Louis van Gaal: Xavi, I sincerely welcome you as the new coach of the Dutch national team.

I knew you as a player, and I even gave you your professional debut myself. It was a Super Cup match against Mallorca. You'll definitely remember that.

Unfortunately, we lost that match 1-2, but you scored our only goal.

This speaks volumes about your character.

As a player, you achieved tremendous development. Despite certain physical limitations, you had exceptional tactical ability, outstanding positioning sense, and very good passing skills.

What more can I say? As a player, you won so much, and Barcelona benefited greatly from your abilities.

As a coach, I don't know you deeply, but you've already won many titles. Two at Barcelona and seven at Al Sadd.

So what more can we Dutch people say?

We will always be critical about the squad, the starting lineup, or various choices.

But I have a good feeling about you.

I especially hope for great success in your first match against Germany.

I'll support you, Xavi.

All the best to you.

Let's go, let's go, let's go!

Xavi: That's truly fantastic, truly fantastic. Thank you so much, thank you.

Louis is a very important part of my career, even my life.

He's so important because when I was 17, 18 years old, I was still a teenager and hadn't yet developed a mature and solid character.

And he believed in me so, so much.

I learned many things from Louis about what a coach should be.

He's an amazing person with a very big heart. I'm truly grateful to him, grateful to Louis.

I also wish him all the best.

When he was sick, I sent him a message. Thank God, he's now fully recovered.

I'm genuinely happy for him, and I wish him all good things.

Of course, I've also always maintained a good relationship with Tito. So I'm truly grateful for this video and his words.

Those were very kind words. As a coach, is there something from Louis—or from him as a person—that you still apply to your tactical philosophy today?

Xavi: First, I need to talk about Louis van Gaal's character. He always showed a very unique personality. He's very stubborn and very clear about his ideas.

But sometimes when I talk with former teammates about Louis, they all say the same thing.

Perhaps at that time, many people didn't truly appreciate Louis's value as a coach.

But looking back now, almost everyone who later became a coach remembers what they learned from Louis van Gaal.

So this is very important to me.

Sometimes, to better manage the team, I recall some of Louis's approaches from back then.

There's another Dutch coach who had a major influence on your career.

Xavi: Yes, very much so.

Have you spoken with him as well?

Frank Rijkaard: Hello, Xavi. This is truly wonderful and exciting news, and a real surprise.

You were an excellent player and one of the best in the world. I always believed you would also be an excellent coach.

There's no doubt about your talent.

I sincerely wish you all the best in this new stage of your career.

Good luck. Take care, Xavi.

Xavi: Thank you very much. Frank Rijkaard is an amazing person as both a coach and a human being.

He also gave me a lot of confidence. As you know, I was injured during the time Frank was coaching Barcelona, but I have very good memories of Frank.

We won many titles together.

I believe he helped Barcelona rediscover our football philosophy.

In the years before he arrived, we had somewhat lost our philosophy, and he gave the team confidence again.

So I have very good memories of Frank, especially of him as a human being.

He's a very kind and generous person.

Thank you so much.

AI 번역.

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