Giovanni van Bronckhorst has opened up on the 'hurt' he still feels at getting the axe from Rangers as he revealed the club offered to build him a PADEL COURT if he won the Europa League.
The Dutch coach was sacked from the Ibrox club in November after falling nine points behind Celtic and a disastrous Champions League campaign that set unwanted records after six defeats. But he led Rangers to a Europa League Final and a Scottish Cup success the previous season. Van Bronckhorst admits he's had plenty of job offers since leaving Rangers and wants a return to coaching. However, he remains puzzled at his dismissal from Rangers.
Van Bronckhorst said: "At Rangers, I was fired in November and that hurt. We won the Scottish Cup and reached the final of the Europa League in Seville and only lost to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties.
"And then we reached the group stage of the Champions League for the first time in a very long time. Since then, I have been back to the Feyenoord training complex many times.
"I really enjoy that they appreciate what I have done for the club.
At Feyenoord as manager I saw out my contract and there was never any hassle from the club. I don't think managers get much credit these days, but what happened hasn't dampened my enthusiasm to return to football management.
"Of course, I want to continue as a manager and there have been possibilities, but I either didn't come to an agreement or I didn't have a good feeling about it.
"No, I don't think it will be in the Netherlands. Perhaps in southern Europe. From my time at Barcelona, I know what it is like to live and work there, that appealed to me then and appeals to me now, but we will see what comes my way.
"I still go to all the Feyenoord games. I actually travel to them on my scooter because it's nice and quick and I am delighted they are going to win the title. But I have certainly enjoyed spending time with my family too."
And van Bronckhorst, in an interview in the Netherlands, revealed a bizarre regret about not winning the Europa League with Rangers...he was promised the club would build him his own personal padel court - a fast-growing sport described as a mix between tennis and squad which is particularly popular in his Dutch homeland.
Van Bronckhorst said: "When I was with Rangers, I asked them to build me a padel court. The deal was I would get it if we won the Europa League. So it wasn't built!"
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