Louis van Gaal is faced with having to mastermind Holland’s World Cup qualification from a wheelchair - after injuring himself falling off a bike.
The 70-year-old former Manchester United boss hurt his leg after taking a tumble as he went for a ride around the Dutch FA headquarters in a forest outside the town of Zeist.
Van Gaal: "I am in a lot of pain and because of my university years I know about the bones in the body.
"I do not need to be operated on right now, but it is very uncomfortable.
"With the help of a wheelchair, I can coach - and coaching you do with your brain, not with your legs."
His accident could not have come at a worst time, with Holland needing a point against Norway in Rotterdam on Tuesday night to guarantee their ticket for Qatar.
Van Gaal’s side looked home and hosed when they led 2-0 in Montenegro on Saturday night thanks to Memphis Depay’s double, only to be pegged back by two goals in the final eight minutes.
They still top Group G - but are only two points clear of Turkey and Norway going into their last game.
Holland could fall to third and miss out on the automatic qualification place and a spot in the play-offs if they lose to the Norwegians and the Turks win in Montenegro.
Van Gaal was sacked by Holland after missing out on qualification for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
But he guided them to third place at the 2014 tournament in Brazil - before becoming United’s manager.
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Holland’s preparations for the make-or-break game have also been hit by the country going back into lockdown after a rise in coronavirus -1>coronavirus infection rates.
Feyenoord’s 51,000-capacity De Kuip stadium was sold-out, but fans will not be allowed in now the restrictions have come back in.
But Holland will be helped by the absence of Norway's brilliant Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland through injury.
Van Gaal has been confined to a wheelchair before.
When he was coach of AZ Alkmaar in 2007, he broke his leg in two places at a university reunion when he attempted to prove to his old PE course classmates that he could still pole vault.
Van Gaal required six pins inserted into his leg to repair the damage and was forced to watch games from a wheelchair over the next few weeks wearing a plaster cast.
He came out of retirement in August to become national team boss for a third time after Frank de Boer was sacked following Holland’s poor showing in last summer’s Euros.
