Kluivert gives reason for Ghana snub

Patrick Kluivert has been explaining the reasons behind his sabbatical leave from football including why he snubbed the offer of coaching the Ghana national team.

The former Ajax, Barcelona and Netherlands goal poacher was heralded as the favourite to replace dismissed Kwesi Appiah at the helm of the Black Stars after the Ghana Football Association named him on a shortlist of five for the job. But his agent came out to deny he had even applied for the job in the first place.

Kluivert who was also linked to the Manchester United assistant manager's role having played under Old Trafford manager, Louis Van Gaal at Ajax and Barcelona before also serving as his assistant with both Dutch club, AZ Alkmaar as well as the Dutch national team at the recent FIFA World Cup, says his wife's ill-health was chief in his decision not to take on other jobs.

The UEFA pro coaching licenced Kluivert says he combined his Netherlands duties during his three-year stint under van Gaal with caring for his wife, Rossana, who was diagnosed with lymphoma, a form of cancer that affects the immune system.

"At that time I couldn't have taken another job because of my wife's illness," he explained.

"Now I'm ready to make a big jump for myself. I'm really looking for a club or a possibility in the near future to get a chance to lead training as a manager or work as an assistant to a very good coach," Kluivert added.

Having spent all his managerial apprenticeship under van Gaal, Kluivert says he was also not particularly keen on the Manchester United job because he knew Ryan Giggs would get the role and he also felt that it was time to move on from Van Gaal's mentorship.

"Louis said that he wanted the position of assistant coach to be someone from the club and that was reasonable. And it was also time to spread my wings and to do something on my own," Kluivert said.

"But working with Louis was great because he gives you the freedom to train the team and that's the thing I appreciated," he confessed.