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New Netherlands coach Danny Blind said he turned down a “fantastic offer” to be part of Louis van Gaal’s backroom staff at Manchester United last year.
Blind was confirmed as the new Oranje boss on Wednesday until 2018 after replacing Guus Hiddink, who left his post on Monday.
But the 54-year-old, who had been Hiddink’s assistant and filled the same role for Van Gaal as the Dutch finished third in the 2014 World Cup, revealed he was wanted at Old Trafford last summer.
Blind, who had captained Van Gaal’s 1995 Champions League-winning Ajax team, said he preferred to prioritise his dream of managing his country.
“I had a fantastic offer from Manchester United,” Blind told Algemeen Dagblad.
“There were talks about United and Van Gaal a couple of times last year. But I rejected that. If you have ambition what is more beautiful than becoming manager of your country?”
Danny Blind’s son Daley Blind joined Manchester United last summer.
Blind, who was capped 42 times by Netherlands as a player, was Ajax manager from 2005-06 and was one of several members of the national side’s coaching team Van Gaal was keen to take to Old Trafford.
Goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek and assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg followed the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona manager to Manchester.
But United were always determined that Ryan Giggs, who was appointed Van Gaal’s assistant, would play a prominent role under the veteran.
While the coach did not join United last summer, his son Daley did, in a £14 million move from Ajax.
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