AMSTERDAM – Louis van Gaal was appointed Netherlands coach on Friday to succeed Bert van Marwijk, who quit after the team's terrible performance at the European Championship. It is the second spell as national coach for Van Gaal, who has had success leading Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich but failed to take the Netherlands to the 2002 World Cup the first time he was in charge of the team. The Royal Dutch Football Association said the 60-year-old Van Gaal has signed a contract until the 2014 World Cup. Van Gaal called the appointment “the challenge I have been waiting for." — AP
