Former Manchester United boss, Louis van Gaal has revealed he is suffering from prostate cancer.
Van Gaal is with the Netherlands national team and would be guiding them to the 2022 World in Qatar later this year.
This is the first time the well travelled football manager is publicly speaking about his illness. The Dutchman opened up on the ailment on RTL’s show ‘Humberto’ on Sunday evening.
The former Bayern Munich boss said he had kept it secret and has been receiving treatment whilst continuing his job as the Dutch team’s senior coach.
He said he had kept this from players in his squad.
“I think you don’t tell people you work with like that because it might influence their choices, their decisiveness, so I thought they shouldn’t know,” Van Gaal said.
“You don’t die from prostate cancer, at least not in ninety per cent of the cases. “It is usually other underlying diseases that kill you. But I had a pretty aggressive form, and got irradiated 25 times. Then you have a lot of management to do in order to go through life.
“I did have preferential treatment in the hospital. I was allowed in through the back door when I went to an appointment and was immediately pushed into another room. I have been treated wonderfully.
“You will of course tell your friends and relatives about it. The fact that nothing has come out yet also says something about my environment. That’s great.”