-Nate Hyatt
When Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal was announced as United’s next manager, it was a mostly positive response from beleaguered United fans. Not even a full season under Moyes and even the most ardent fans were struggling to stand behind their new manager. Moyes tenure was defined by how it ended, quickly and quite painful.
As the healing began for United fans everywhere with the Class of ’92 taking charge for the 4 remaining games of that season, Ed Woodward was already finalizing the details on the man who would take charge next. Calls for Ryan Giggs to be given the reigns were heard, but even Giggs admitted later he was not yet ready. On May 19, 2014 the rumours were confirmed and Louis van Gaal was announced as only the 4th manager of Manchester United since 1987.
The job ahead was daunting. Van Gaal would most likely know the impossible expectations awaiting him from the largest fan base in all of football. What he did not know, that he later learned, was the resolve of the fans, home and away, to support the team 100%. Van Gaal had a tough job ahead, but he was the perfect man for the job.
First up for Van Gaal was to make decisions about players. He used the pre-season tour in the United States as a way to vet his current squad. He also used the Capital One Cup. By the time the transfer window Deadline Day was up Van Gaal had sent a clear message to the players and the fans. Some agreed and some disagreed, especially when Manchester born, Danny Welbeck was sold to Arsenal on Deadline Day. Welbeck wasn’t the only casualty of Van Gaal’s decision making, Tom Cleverley was loaned to Aston Villa. Chicharito was allowed to leave to Real Madrid on loan. Anderson found his way back to Brazil. The young, exciting Wilfried Zaha was sold back to Crystal Palace. Luis Nani went back to Sporting before the summer was out.
Before Van Gaal was in charge, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, and Patrice Evra had already moved on to other clubs. A clean out, which seemed needful during Moyes term had taken its first steps under the Iron Tulip.
On the opposite side, Van Gaal gave his approval for the purchasing of Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera before the World Cup even began. After officially taking charge, he signed defender, Marcos Rojo from Sporting Lisbon, defender, Daley Blind from Ajax, winger, Angel DiMaria from Real Madrid, and a Deadline Day loan signing of world class striker, Radamel Falcao from Monaco. Louis Van Gaal had begun the rebuilding process of a club too reliant on the greatest manager ever.
Louis Van Gaal spoke clearly of his philosophy when he joined United, and he has stuck to his plans. Defense has been the biggest change. Under Van Gaal, United has been superb defensively. Only 37 goals were conceded last season (Southampton conceded the fewest with 33). This season, through 12 games, United lead the league in goals conceded with only 8. Van Gaal has quietly turned Chris Smalling into one of the best defenders on the planet. Smalling’s fortunes had looked to be headed in a different direction after last season’s red card in the Manchester Derby. Unable to get the defender he wanted, Van Gaal partnered Daley Blind with Smalling. The pair has been a rock.
United’s midfield was a constant struggle, as long serving stalwarts Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs retired while Darren Fletcher continued to look for full fitness after his sickness. Tom Cleverly and Anderson were there to fill their boots. Expectations were too much for the former, while the latter always seemed to struggle to find any consistent form. Van Gaal solved that issue approving the addition of the creative Ander Herrera. A year later LVG then added the long serving Bayern midfielder and German national team captain, Bastian Schweinsteiger. He decided to give more protection to his back four by purchasing holding midfield genius, Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton.
The vaunted United attack was still being led by Rooney, and Van Gaal decided to make the England captain his captain as well. Wanting a world class #9 in his second summer, he pursued the biggest names in the game in Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski. By Deadline Day it wasn’t either of the superb Bayern goal scorers, but rather the young striker, Anthony Martial who broke the transfer record for a teenager and joined Van Gaal’s United.
Despite the Dutchman being criticized for ignoring, or leaving behind, many United traditions, he has upheld the strength and honor of the badge. He has promoted youth team players and kept the long consecutive streak of at least one youth player in every United fixture. After the 2-0 win against West Brom, the streak had reached 3764 matches – stretching back to October 1937. United fans have waited for Jesse Lingard to finally take the step up to the first team for a few seasons, but it seems to have finally happened under Van Gaal’s reign. Van Gaal proclaimed this year to be the year of Luke Shaw, and until the horrendous leg break suffered against PSV earlier in the year, it was proving to be true. Andreas Pereira, Alex Tuanzebe, and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson have all seen their full debut or been on the bench for the first team. Van Gaal, as he promised when he arrived, values youth and promoting from inside the club.
Ferguson left an aging, yet title winning side to David Moyes. David Moyes left Ryan Giggs, and Louis Van Gaal, with more questions than answers – not to mention having seen United’s long streak of playing in Europe’s top competition ended by finishing 7th in the Premier League. Van Gaal was still able to lead United to 4th place in the Premier League and back into the Champions League. Currently, United sit in 4th place, only 2 points behind Premier League table toppers, Manchester City, and are top of their Champions League group. They were shocked at home to Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup, but still have the FA Cup competition to look forward to in the coming weeks.
Despite the pressure from United fans to have this process move a lot quicker, rebuilding takes time – and make no doubt, Manchester United are rebuilding. When the greatest manager to ever manage a football team retires, there is bound to be some retooling and rethinking. It takes a tough man with thick skin, someone who can handle the pressure without breaking a sweat. Someone who has a clear plan and is able to execute that plan even when the players he wants are not available. There are few men in the world who could have taken what David Moyes left and turned it into what it is now, a title contending side. Louis Van Gaal understands Manchester United. He also understands where the club has been and where it wants to go. It may not get there in his tenure, but you’d be fooling yourself to think he will not be one of the main reasons United are back at the top yet again real soon. The Iron Tulip will not be fully appreciated while he’s here for what he has done, but he definitely should be.
When Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal was announced as United’s next manager, it was a mostly positive response from beleaguered United fans. Not even a full season under Moyes and even the most ardent fans were struggling to stand behind their new manager. Moyes tenure was defined by how it ended, quickly and quite painful.
As the healing began for United fans everywhere with the Class of ’92 taking charge for the 4 remaining games of that season, Ed Woodward was already finalizing the details on the man who would take charge next. Calls for Ryan Giggs to be given the reigns were heard, but even Giggs admitted later he was not yet ready. On May 19, 2014 the rumours were confirmed and Louis van Gaal was announced as only the 4th manager of Manchester United since 1987.
The job ahead was daunting. Van Gaal would most likely know the impossible expectations awaiting him from the largest fan base in all of football. What he did not know, that he later learned, was the resolve of the fans, home and away, to support the team 100%. Van Gaal had a tough job ahead, but he was the perfect man for the job.
First up for Van Gaal was to make decisions about players. He used the pre-season tour in the United States as a way to vet his current squad. He also used the Capital One Cup. By the time the transfer window Deadline Day was up Van Gaal had sent a clear message to the players and the fans. Some agreed and some disagreed, especially when Manchester born, Danny Welbeck was sold to Arsenal on Deadline Day. Welbeck wasn’t the only casualty of Van Gaal’s decision making, Tom Cleverley was loaned to Aston Villa. Chicharito was allowed to leave to Real Madrid on loan. Anderson found his way back to Brazil. The young, exciting Wilfried Zaha was sold back to Crystal Palace. Luis Nani went back to Sporting before the summer was out.
Before Van Gaal was in charge, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, and Patrice Evra had already moved on to other clubs. A clean out, which seemed needful during Moyes term had taken its first steps under the Iron Tulip.
On the opposite side, Van Gaal gave his approval for the purchasing of Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera before the World Cup even began. After officially taking charge, he signed defender, Marcos Rojo from Sporting Lisbon, defender, Daley Blind from Ajax, winger, Angel DiMaria from Real Madrid, and a Deadline Day loan signing of world class striker, Radamel Falcao from Monaco. Louis Van Gaal had begun the rebuilding process of a club too reliant on the greatest manager ever.
Louis Van Gaal spoke clearly of his philosophy when he joined United, and he has stuck to his plans. Defense has been the biggest change. Under Van Gaal, United has been superb defensively. Only 37 goals were conceded last season (Southampton conceded the fewest with 33). This season, through 12 games, United lead the league in goals conceded with only 8. Van Gaal has quietly turned Chris Smalling into one of the best defenders on the planet. Smalling’s fortunes had looked to be headed in a different direction after last season’s red card in the Manchester Derby. Unable to get the defender he wanted, Van Gaal partnered Daley Blind with Smalling. The pair has been a rock.
United’s midfield was a constant struggle, as long serving stalwarts Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs retired while Darren Fletcher continued to look for full fitness after his sickness. Tom Cleverly and Anderson were there to fill their boots. Expectations were too much for the former, while the latter always seemed to struggle to find any consistent form. Van Gaal solved that issue approving the addition of the creative Ander Herrera. A year later LVG then added the long serving Bayern midfielder and German national team captain, Bastian Schweinsteiger. He decided to give more protection to his back four by purchasing holding midfield genius, Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton.
The vaunted United attack was still being led by Rooney, and Van Gaal decided to make the England captain his captain as well. Wanting a world class #9 in his second summer, he pursued the biggest names in the game in Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski. By Deadline Day it wasn’t either of the superb Bayern goal scorers, but rather the young striker, Anthony Martial who broke the transfer record for a teenager and joined Van Gaal’s United.
Despite the Dutchman being criticized for ignoring, or leaving behind, many United traditions, he has upheld the strength and honor of the badge. He has promoted youth team players and kept the long consecutive streak of at least one youth player in every United fixture. After the 2-0 win against West Brom, the streak had reached 3764 matches – stretching back to October 1937. United fans have waited for Jesse Lingard to finally take the step up to the first team for a few seasons, but it seems to have finally happened under Van Gaal’s reign. Van Gaal proclaimed this year to be the year of Luke Shaw, and until the horrendous leg break suffered against PSV earlier in the year, it was proving to be true. Andreas Pereira, Alex Tuanzebe, and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson have all seen their full debut or been on the bench for the first team. Van Gaal, as he promised when he arrived, values youth and promoting from inside the club.
Ferguson left an aging, yet title winning side to David Moyes. David Moyes left Ryan Giggs, and Louis Van Gaal, with more questions than answers – not to mention having seen United’s long streak of playing in Europe’s top competition ended by finishing 7th in the Premier League. Van Gaal was still able to lead United to 4th place in the Premier League and back into the Champions League. Currently, United sit in 4th place, only 2 points behind Premier League table toppers, Manchester City, and are top of their Champions League group. They were shocked at home to Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup, but still have the FA Cup competition to look forward to in the coming weeks.
Despite the pressure from United fans to have this process move a lot quicker, rebuilding takes time – and make no doubt, Manchester United are rebuilding. When the greatest manager to ever manage a football team retires, there is bound to be some retooling and rethinking. It takes a tough man with thick skin, someone who can handle the pressure without breaking a sweat. Someone who has a clear plan and is able to execute that plan even when the players he wants are not available. There are few men in the world who could have taken what David Moyes left and turned it into what it is now, a title contending side. Louis Van Gaal understands Manchester United. He also understands where the club has been and where it wants to go. It may not get there in his tenure, but you’d be fooling yourself to think he will not be one of the main reasons United are back at the top yet again real soon. The Iron Tulip will not be fully appreciated while he’s here for what he has done, but he definitely should be.
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