Ajax coach for Barcelona

AJAX COACH Louis van Gaal bade farewell to the Dutch giants yesterday but kept mum about his destination for next season.

AJAX COACH Louis van Gaal bade farewell to the Dutch giants yesterday but kept mum about his destination for next season.

Van Gaal, widely rumoured to be on his way to Cup Winners' Cup winners Barcelona, is expected to keep an announcement under wraps until the end of the Spanish season in three weeks. Even Bobby Robson, current coach at Barcelona, is in the dark about the future.

Van Gaal, who has steered Ajax to two Dutch championships, a European Cup win and the World Club Championship, bade a 49,000 crowd an emotional farewell - and then watched his side hammer Vitesse Arnhem 4-0.

This year's champions PSV Eindhoven ended the season on a low note, losing 3-1 away to Roda JC. Feyenoord, who fought PSV fiercely for the championship in the second half of the season, suffered the same fate, losing 2-1 away to 12th placed Utrecht.