Netherlands boss Xavi out to win the Dutch way, unbothered that Guardiola was first choice

[p][b]"If we play good football... taking the initiative, dominating the game, playing in an offensive way... we will be closer to winning and to getting results,"[/b] the 46-year-old former midfielder told reporters at his first news conference since being appointed.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/netherlands/WYintcWb/"]Netherlands[/a] were disappointing at the most recent World Cup, topping their group without really convincing and then crashing out to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] on penalties in the last-32.[/p][p][b]"I remember when I was a kid watching the Netherlands, you could watch good football. And this is my target - to play good football in order to be proud," [/b]said [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/xavi/bs5KnIiT/"]Xavi[/a].[/p][p][b]Asked which was more important, attractive football or results, Xavi replied: "Both."[/b][/p][p][b]"We are here to compete, we are here to enjoy and we are here to win. I insist, we are here to win."[/b][/p][embed guid="c53131a9-76c5-4568-ae39-97dc1cd9c7c1" url="https://x.com/OnsOranje/status/2091895891191808337" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] great, who won the 2010 World Cup with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] as a player, had not held a head coaching job since leaving the Camp Nou in 2024.[/p][p]He won the 2023 La Liga title with Barca but was sacked at the end of the following season and replaced by Hansi Flick.[/p][p]Dutch Director of Football Nigel de Jong revealed that they had approached former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a] boss Pep Guardiola and ex-[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] manager Arne Slot before settling on Xavi.[/p][p][b]"Well, it's not a bad position after Guardiola and after Slot, no?"[/b] joked Xavi.[/p][p][b]"I don't care if I'm the third or I'm the 10th one."[/b][/p][p]Xavi's first match at the helm will be a home Nations League clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a] on September 24.[/p][p]Facing him on the sidelines will be another national management rookie, Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp.[/p][p]"I feel excited, I feel motivated because we are playing against Germany, one of the best teams in Europe and one of the best coaches in recent years, Jurgen Klopp," he said.[/p][p]"So yeah, it's a big challenge from the beginning, but I think we will be ready."[/p][p]Xavi said that his main goal was to make the country proud of the Oranje again.[/p][p][b]"We will work with passion, with ambition and with desire, in order that people in Holland, the 18 million people, are proud of our team."[/b][/p][h2]First foreign Oranje manager since 1978[/h2][embed guid="e311fe40-571e-4cf1-9937-7b17349c4ed1" url="https://x.com/OnsOranje/status/2091964799399694536" social-type="twitter" /][p]The former Barcelona midfield great and later coach has signed a four-year deal through the next World Cup and promised he would look to inject new energy into the Dutch.[/p][p][b]“We have many talented players, but the most important thing for me is to create a team, a group and football-wise we want to create a very brave team to dominate the game, to take the initiative with the ball,” [/b]he told a press conference on Tuesday.[/p][p][b]“And at the same time, our goal is to show to everybody a team with passion, with desire and ambition. This is very important for me as a coach.[/b][/p][p]Xavi is the first foreigner in almost 50 years to take charge of the Dutch - since Ernst Happel at the 1978 World Cup - but already describes himself as a devotee of the Dutch 'total football' approach which the likes of Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff introduced at Barca, where he played most of his career.[/p][p][b]“I understand now that I'm a foreigner here but I learnt a lot from the Dutch way of playing and what I learned, I want to return here to the federation.[/b][/p][p][b]“I'm here to help all the players, all the staff. I'm here to create a big family in order to win. This is the main goal, and this is our objective now as a staff, and especially me as a head coach.[/b][/p][p][b]“I understand where I am and I feel this pressure, but I love this kind of pressure and I'm a winner. This is what I show during my career as a player and as a coach, and I'm ready.”[/b][/p]