BEIJING (AFP) - Holland coach Louis van Gaal said Monday an ambition to achieve success in three of Europe's major football leagues is behind his desire to manage in England after next year's World Cup.
The title winner with Germany's Bayern Munich and Spain's Barcelona has previously hinted that he could take up a role in the Premier League if the right offer came up when he retired from international football next year.
But he spoke candidly for the first time about the attraction of the EPL to reporters in Beijing ahead of a friendly game against China on Tuesday.
"I have done it in Spain, been a champion, I have done it in Germany, and I think that the third place is for the Premier League, and because of that I want to be a coach of that league," said van Gaal.
"Especially because of the atmosphere also," he added, before shrugging off concerns of the pressure involved with managing a top EPL side.
"You do not know what pressure I have in the Netherlands," said van Gaal, who has also won league titles in Holland with Ajax Amsterdam.
His reputation as one of Europe's top managers has continued to grow after he stepped in to help the Dutch side recover brilliantly after they exited Euro 2012 at the group stage.
They now lead World Cup qualifying Group D by seven points and are expected to dominate against China following a professional, if not convincing 3-0 victory over Indonesia in Jakarta on Friday.
That game saw Manchester United striker Robin van Persie take over as captain from midfielder Wesley Sneijder.
Van Gaal said the recent good form of van Persie helped convince him to give the captain's armband to last season's top scorer in the Premier League.
He also said that van Persie's switch in the summer of 2012 to current champions Manchester United from London side Arsenal was the right decision for the player, who scored 26 league goals last season.
"Van Persie was happy to play at Arsenal but he is an ambitious player, he wants to win everything and he has not won anything," said van Gaal. "So I think he made the right choice because Manchester United are the champions of the Premier League."
