Van Gaal says Krul substitution was all part of his plan

Silly you, thinking that Dutch manager Louis van Gaal decided to substitute goalkeeper Tim Krul for the penalty kicks on a whim in their quarterfinal win over Costa Rica. This was all part of his elaborate plan. An elaborate, secret plan if your name is Jasper Cillessen. 

“We thought it through. Every player has certain skills and qualities and they don’t always coincide. We felt Tim would be the most appropriate keeper to save penalties. You would have seen that Tim dived to the right corner twice. We’re a tiny bit proud this trick has helped us through," van Gaal said after the game, via the Guardian.

“We said nothing to Jasper because we didn’t want him to know before the game. But as I’ve explained, every keeper has specific qualities. Tim has a longer reach and a better track record with penalties than Cillessen."

But that is where it ends - van Gaal made it clear Cillessen would be starting against Argentina on Wednesday.