After a decent end to his International management with Holland, Luis Van Gaal has taken the reigns of Manchester United yesterday. In his first press conference, the former Dutch Manager seems pretty confident of transforming his tactics and experience from former managerial career to the theatre of dreams.
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I will do my utmost best. That's what I can give. I cannot give predictions because you never know. Luis Van Gaal
He clearly shows his desire to challenge for the title instead of going for that Champions League spot. So far he has made it clear that he will take the difficult route and not be content with ordinary showings from the most decorated club in English football history. The Dutchman has already spoken of his desire to restore unity and togetherness in United’s DNA which was a major characteristic of his Holland team.
But things won’t be as easy as it seems for the new manager. Had he took over from where Sir Alex Ferguson left the club, things could be much easier than now. It would be much easier to carry forward a title winning team rather than this woeful Manchester United squad. But after an end of disastrous campaign by David Moyes, which was a humiliation for Manchester United in every aspect in which Red Devils fell to their lowest position in English Premier League history, Van Gaal has deep holes to fill in his new job. He has to reorganize a team which was dismantled by his ancestor Moyes. At the end of last season, players like Rooney and Van Persie had lost their golden touch in just 1 year.
But things won’t be as easy as it seems for the new manager. Had he took over from where Sir Alex Ferguson left the club, things could be much easier than now. It would be much easier to carry forward a title winning team rather than this woeful Manchester United squad. But after an end of disastrous campaign by David Moyes, which was a humiliation for Manchester United in every aspect in which Red Devils fell to their lowest position in English Premier League history, Van Gaal has deep holes to fill in his new job. He has to reorganize a team which was dismantled by his ancestor Moyes. At the end of last season, players like Rooney and Van Persie had lost their golden touch in just 1 year.
Winning Mentality:
One of Van Gaal’s major problem is Manchester United’s mind set. This team, its fans and most importantly its Management is not entitled to defeat. After an end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s luminous career, in which everything united touched turned into gold, this team had forgot taste of loss. This factor proved a major factor in ending Moyes’ Management only after 1 year. The Manchester United ownership is not entitled to a word defeat. In their other business, in which they head an NFL team Tampa Bay Bucs, they had already sacked 5 managers due to poor performance before sacking former United Manager David Moyes.
Slow and Steady:
On the other hand Van Gaal is equally slow in his progress with his new team. Every time he takes over a new job, he took some time to put his feet on ground and implement his philosophy on his new team mates. One recent study indicates that during his former Managerial Jobs with many clubs, more often than not, his teams start slowly. Here are the statistics of his showdowns in early days:-
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When in charge of AJAX form 1991-1997, Van Gaal managed to produce one of the most decorated club in Dutch history. But even there, it took him three seasons to grab his first Eredivise title.
During his 1st stint as a manager, Luis Van Gaal grabbed his 1st title after 3 years being in charge at Ajax.
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After a slow start in Barcelona Van Gaal managed to win Liga BBVA title in two successive years. During his 1st year he managed to grab the LA Liga title however, his team was crashed out of the group stages from UEFA Champions League.
- In his last club job with FC Bayern Munich, he managed to won just 5 of his first 13 match in charge. He lasted less than 2 years at the German Giants, even though he managed to win a League title there
Conclusion:
So patience is the key for Manchester United. And Van Gaal has just 29 days to prepare for the new season. It’s not an easy task but Manchester United fans will be thinking that their glory days shall be returning sooner than later.
So patience is the key for Manchester United. And Van Gaal has just 29 days to prepare for the new season. It’s not an easy task but Manchester United fans will be thinking that their glory days shall be returning sooner than later.
Amir Bashir follow him on Twitter.
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