Guardian Interview - Louis van Gaal: ‘I thought Manchester United could buy every player'

Rocksy

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Very good read, really liked the tactical analysis of Liverpool and City’s current sides too. He clearly knows his stuff but his recruitment really let him down. He might have been better with a good Director recruiting, as he’d been managing international football before United and the rest of his career had been at Ajax, Bayern, Barca etc.
 
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One thing Moyes,Louis Van Gaal and Jose have constantly commented on ,which I wholeheartedly agree with,is the need for a DOF or a set-up that is similar to the ones at other major clubs.
We keep getting teased about how the club are looking to recruit a DOF ,or individuals who are will be placed in a similar role, and yet very little seems to be coming into fruition largely because the CEO is reported to want the majority of power in transfer dealings,in and out.
 

Johan07

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Very good read, really liked the tactical analysis of Liverpool and City’s current sides too. He clearly knows his stuff but his recruitment really let him down. He might have been better with a good Director recruiting, as he’d been managing international football before United and the rest of his career had been at Ajax, Bayern, Barca etc.
Yep, agree, that was my big takeaway as well. Even the part about why he felt that he needed to take a certain approach with United because of the players at his disposal without sacrificing his principles was very interesting.
 

Skills

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One thing Moyes,Louis Van Gaal and Jose have constantly commented on ,which I wholeheartedly agree with,is the need for a DOF or a set-up that is similar to the ones at other major clubs.
We keep getting teased about how the club are looking to recruit a DOF ,or individuals who are will be placed in a similar role, and yet very little seems to be coming into fruition largely because the CEO is reported to want the majority of power in transfer dealings,in and out.
Mourinho is just shifting the blame. He got Madrid to sack their DOF for him, he's too narcissistic to work under one without it eventually going tits up. How do you think he would've reacted when a DOF told him to his face actually we don't want to sign Perisic/Sanchez because we've already got 2 players for that position? At least with Woodward he tried to sign them, but he failed as the asking price was too much.

A proper DOF would have stopped him from signing a player like Matic too, because he would know that we soon have to replace him again.
 

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He's right about the structure but he didn't help himself with poor recruitment and an awful way we played. He was over the hill then and wasnt a right fit in the end.
Saying that it's interesting that in December there was a talk about hiring a DOF. It's as if we won't hire one at all. I for one am shocked.
 

Champagne Football

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I really do feel Van Gaal fits into that list of Managerial nobodies who get lucky with a big job once in a while, win a few trophies along the way, but when you look back on their career, everything smacks of bullshitter. Avram Grant, Steve McClaren, Villas-Boas, Gullit, Sounness, Di Mateo, Juande Ramos.

I honestly think Steve McClaren could get to a WC semi final if he had Robben and Van Persie in their primes. Before that WC, Van Gaal had long been in the managerial rubbish dump, but amazing what a couple of world class monsters can do for your career.
 

Aloysius's Back 3

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I tend to agree with him, I think we would be much better off now had we continued with the process and then hired a manager which fit in as continuation of the player style etc.

We really didn't have the players when he was there, still think he was outdated, but I think the process would have paid off had we added a couple of good creative and attacking players and not had to rely on Rooney

Also think the evolution of Martial and Rashford would have been alot better too, on top of that Blind
The greatest thing for me is - he came in with the plan to use a 352 and scrapped it after the players didn't deal with it well during the first season.

However by the end of the 2nd season he ended up with forwards like Martial, Rashford & Memphis with the potential ability to play in partnerships. He also found a player like Blind who would have really suited a back 3 even more so than a back 2 because he could play a DM/CB role. Players like CBj may now not be deemed good enough but I wonder how he would have played as a wingback because I loved watching him play under LVG.
 

JPRouve

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One thing Moyes,Louis Van Gaal and Jose have constantly commented on ,which I wholeheartedly agree with,is the need for a DOF or a set-up that is similar to the ones at other major clubs.
We keep getting teased about how the club are looking to recruit a DOF ,or individuals who are will be placed in a similar role, and yet very little seems to be coming into fruition largely because the CEO is reported to want the majority of power in transfer dealings,in and out.
If I'm not mistaken they are all being dishonest because initially they all mentioned the fact that the job at United was different and that the manager was an actual manager, the SAF role. It's only when they realize that it's a massive and lonely job that they start making excuses. I am for the DOF structure because people like SAF and Wenger do not existed nowadays at the top level but these three knew exactly what the job was and they thought that they were fit for it.
 

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What I would give for one day with a completely honest LvG and Mourinho. I think we would find out some pretty shocking stuff about this club
 
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I really do feel Van Gaal fits into that list of Managerial nobodies who get lucky with a big job once in a while, win a few trophies along the way, but when you look back on their career, everything smacks of bullshitter. Avram Grant, Steve McClaren, Villas-Boas, Gullit, Sounness, Di Mateo, Juande Ramos.

I honestly think Steve McClaren could get to a WC semi final if he had Robben and Van Persie in their primes. Before that WC, Van Gaal had long been in the managerial rubbish dump, but amazing what a couple of world class monsters can do for your career.
I wholeheartedly disagree with all of that.
 

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Brilliant interview. He's mental but he does know his football.
 

Johan07

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One thing Moyes,Louis Van Gaal and Jose have constantly commented on ,which I wholeheartedly agree with,is the need for a DOF or a set-up that is similar to the ones at other major clubs.
We keep getting teased about how the club are looking to recruit a DOF ,or individuals who are will be placed in a similar role, and yet very little seems to be coming into fruition largely because the CEO is reported to want the majority of power in transfer dealings,in and out.
I dont believe that this is true when it comes to Moyes, and definitely not Mourinho. If anything Mourinho was completely opposed to working other a DoF. He wanted the United job to begin with because we are the club in the PL and the world where the footballing decisions mainly rests with the manager. But please feel free to provide some quotes from Mourinho on this.
 

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Bitter boring old cnut, put me to sleep 90% of his time here and his piss is now boiled 24/7 in hatred of united. Hate people who kick others while they're down.
 

Cassidy

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I dont believe that this is true when it comes to Moyes, and definitely not Mourinho. If anything Mourinho was completely opposed to working other a DoF. He wanted the United job to begin with because we are the club in the PL and the world where the footballing decisions mainly rests with the manager. But please feel free to provide some quotes from Mourinho on this.
He specifically mentioned our recruitment and scouting departments were not good enough plenty of times. Its not just about a DOF, it is about the whole structure irrespective of whether or not the manager makes the final decision or not
 

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He's saying he adapted to the level of his players and that it was lower than Chelsea/City/Spurs etc but the players he brought in for the most part didn't improve the level either. Depay/Schneiderlin/Rojo/Blind etc all bog average.
 

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I really do feel Van Gaal fits into that list of Managerial nobodies who get lucky with a big job once in a while, win a few trophies along the way, but when you look back on their career, everything smacks of bullshitter. Avram Grant, Steve McClaren, Villas-Boas, Gullit, Sounness, Di Mateo, Juande Ramos.

I honestly think Steve McClaren could get to a WC semi final if he had Robben and Van Persie in their primes. Before that WC, Van Gaal had long been in the managerial rubbish dump, but amazing what a couple of world class monsters can do for your career.
I hated the football he had us playing, but to put him in the same category as Steve McClaren, Villas Boas and Di Mateo is incredibly disrespectful.

LVG was a world class manager/coach. To call him a managerial nobody is :houllier:
 

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Bitter boring old cnut, put me to sleep 90% of his time here and his piss is now boiled 24/7 in hatred of united. Hate people who kick others while they're down.
Yes, I wanted him out and he was lucky to last till the end of the season, but he hasn't dissed United here. Merely taking shots at Woodward like Mourinho is doing, which is fine I guess.
 

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We're obviously not a sugar daddy club, but we did back him significantly. The fact that he thought Memphis would be a creative solution, exposes his own failures.
To be fair to him everybody looking at Memphis thought that. He was tearing it up in a lower league and is doing so again now. Sometimes a player just can't make the step up, its hard to tell and every manager has those mistakes on their CV.
 

JPRouve

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He specifically mentioned our recruitment and scouting departments were not good enough plenty of times. Its not just about a DOF, it is about the whole structure irrespective of whether or not the manager makes the final decision or not
And Moyes said the same thing which prompted the creation of the legendary "Ipad bunker", these issues come from the SAF/Gill era and it's easy to assume that after 25 years SAF had a very different and specific way to go about his business, particularly when he was the only man on the football side of things.
 

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This is the first time I’ve heard someone in football come out and state that Ole is woefully under qualified for the job.
 

Skills

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To be fair to him everybody looking at Memphis thought that. He was tearing it up in a lower league and is doing so again now. Sometimes a player just can't make the step up, its hard to tell and every manager has those mistakes on their CV.
Was never really a creative player though. I think everyone thought we were getting a goalscorer from wide. And tbf we did need goals in that team - Rooney wasn't good enough to carry the goalscoring load. But van Gaal never tried to address the lack of chance creation after we let Di Maria go.
 

Johan07

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He specifically mentioned our recruitment and scouting departments were not good enough plenty of times. Its not just about a DOF, it is about the whole structure irrespective of whether or not the manager makes the final decision or not
No, that I agree on. He did. But not for the reason that he wanted a DoF installed above him which was the original poster´s claim.
For Mourinho it was a power play, he did not want to work with the club´s newly expanded scouting network (cost a lot of money). He wanted to handle that part himself with his Mendesian contacts and chronies. He was not all too happy with Matt Judge either, and I am sure he would have wanted someone that he could control in that position as well.
Mourinho wanted exactly what Sir Alex had. Total control. He wanted to run the club as Sir Alex describes in one of his books as how a club should be run.
Which is exactly the opposite to what Van Gaal is describing with a DoF that oversees the entire footballing "department", including the manager, head of scouting and heath of youth setup. Which makes the manager/head coach replacable and not overseeing or controlling the other departments
Its two completely different ways to run a football club. That was my point and why it is false to state that Mourinho was crying out about wanting a DoF when the complete opposite is true.
 

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He's a dick head, but he knows his football. He is right about Woodward and the Glazers and how the whole structure of this great club has gone backwards.
 

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No, that I agree on. He did. But not for the reason that he wanted a DoF installed above him which was the original poster´s claim.
For Mourinho it was a power play, he did not want to work with the club´s newly expanded scouting network (cost a lot of money). He wanted to handle that part himself with his Mendesian contacts and chronies. He was not all too happy with Matt Judge either, and I am sure he would have wanted someone that he could control in that position as well.
Mourinho wanted exactly what Sir Alex had. Total control. He wanted to run the club as Sir Alex describes in one of his books as how a club should be run.
Which is exactly the opposite to what Van Gaal is describing with a DoF that oversees the entire footballing "department", including the manager, head of scouting and heath of youth setup. Which makes the manager/head coach replacable and not overseeing or controlling the other departments
Its two completely different ways to run a football club. That was my point and why it is false to state that Mourinho was crying out about wanting a DoF when the complete opposite is true.
Bang on.
 

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I found it really interesting that he really struggled to name any good outfield players at the club, especially since he seemed to be the one responsible for a £250m rebuild.

But then he seems to suggest he didn't get the players he wanted. It all begs the question, who at the club is deciding which players to sign? It can't be Woodward and Judge surely? Whoever it is should be sacked for gross incompetence.

I still remember LVG complaining about the squad he inherited, yet the one Mourinho inherited (after £250m) was infinitely worse.
 

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I dont agree on this. I thought the most interesting part of the interview is when he discussed why we play liked we did and why it didnt work. Add to that with the analysis of City and Liverpools strengths and weaknesses, which are so spot on as you can be. It does not sound like someone that is tactically outdated. Quite the opposite. He failed miserably in the transfer market, and even if he tries to shift the blame to the organisation of the club for this, it is what eventually led to his downfall.
LvG as a technical director would be a bold move. It didnt really work out for him at Ajax though when he tried to micromanage the manager/head coach so his history with the position isnt great.
Theory is easy implementing it and how it’s implemented are what’s difficult. All he’s doing is just trying to piggy back off the success of City and Liverpool.

Points to take away are he’s admitted the negative, boring tactics were how he was choosing to play and that he didn’t rate the academy players so that’s why they only played when there was an injury crisis. That kills two main arguments most people have for wanting to keep him.
 

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A decent interview without some of the spite he usually has, although it’s definitely still there underneath.

Certainly has some valid points, although I disagree that Ole will get more time because he’s United. He’ll get the same as everyone else - time to prove yourself or leave. He’ll be gone by Christmas if he doesn’t do well.

He’s also very good at glossing over his own failings. Mr one shot a game. Not signing two more superstars isn’t a good excuse for that.
 

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I hated the football he had us playing, but to put him in the same category as Steve McClaren, Villas Boas and Di Mateo is incredibly disrespectful.

LVG was a world class manager/coach. To call him a managerial nobody is :houllier:
Johan Cryuff knew he was a BS merchant. That's why they hated each other. In the same way Fergie could spot a BS merchant right away.
 

Cassidy

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This is the first time I’ve heard someone in football come out and state that Ole is woefully under qualified for the job.
Didn't Ince also say the same thing many times before he was hired
 

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As always direct and honest. I still feel we should be ashamed about the way he was sacked and it's clear he's not forgiven us.

Things didn't work out for him here but it would have been really interesting to see how he'd have done third season - for all the boring football we played we did control games, rarely conceded but simply lacked any kind of cutting edge. Had we kept him on and backed him again in the transfer window we'd be a very different team stylistically now. This view might be heightened by how much Mou damaged our reputation as a club in my eyes but still, always liked King Louis.
 

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His tactical analysis is spot on in case of city and Liverpool, he also knows how to use pacy forwards and make sense he mentioning about provoking space which is why during Van Gaal era martial always had space to carry ball forward. He mentioned similar space creation tactic during world cup on how to make use of Robben's pace by sucking in opposition players to one side of pitch and releasing ball quickly to other side. Brilliant tactical manager but failed to address squad requirements. Also his "my captain shall always play" signed off his firing letter.
 

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LVG is mental but thats a brilliant interview that gives you a lot of insight into the club. You can tell hes super bitter towards Woodward.
 

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LvG's football was on par with Mourinhos when it comes to cowardliness. Jose never committed enough people forward while LvG didn't like taking chances with that final ball.

LvG had a wonderful personality but he was outdated like Mourinho and equally blind to how poor the football was.
 

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He was the best manager we had tactically since Fergie. We were on the right direction post Moyes, not everyone played the way the play now back then and we had a progressive style. The implementation wasnt good enough. Instead of changing our structure, we sacked van Gaal and hired a dinosaurier in Jose, while keeping everything the same. Thats why we are now years behind everyone else.
Tactically, LVG was lightyears ahead of Jose. I can understand that the club sacked LVG (not the way he was sacked) based on poor performance, but replacing him with Jose M reminds me of this:
 

POF

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As always direct and honest. I still feel we should be ashamed about the way he was sacked and it's clear he's not forgiven us.

Things didn't work out for him here but it would have been really interesting to see how he'd have done third season - for all the boring football we played we did control games, rarely conceded but simply lacked any kind of cutting edge. Had we kept him on and backed him again in the transfer window we'd be a very different team stylistically now. This view might be heightened by how much Mou damaged our reputation as a club in my eyes but still, always liked King Louis.
I really don't think it would have made any difference. The one player he named as the best in his tenure (De Gea) couldn't stand him and went from a certainty to leave to being really settled when LVG was sacked.

Would Pogba, Ibra and Mkhitaryan have signed if Jose hadn't replaced LVG? Almost certainly not. His signings were awful, the football was horrendous and it was hard to see LVG's United as an enticing project for a potential signing.
 

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All comes down to recruitment. As he mentions, we needed creative players and he went with Di Maria and Depay.
 

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Funny how he says he didn't want Di Maria, but he namedropped him in interviews as the type of player we were lacking and the reason for our shit football.
 

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All comes down to recruitment. As he mentions, we needed creative players and he went with Di Maria and Depay.
Both looked like good signings at the time, too. Especially Di Maria, coming off a couple of very good seasons at Madrid and to be fair he did look great for a couple of weeks before it went to shit.