Van Gaal

[Roboc7]

He broke Ajax and PSV dominance in the Dutch league with his AZ Alkmaar team.

The problem with Van Gaal while he was here, was his average team and he did get plenty out of the said average team. Can you imagine having a 3-man midfield of ageing slow Carrick, 'past it' sluggish Rooney and a lethargic Fellaini? Capped with an unproven inexperienced young talents, such as an attacking trio of Rashford, Martial and Lingard in attacks? Did you think Mourinho would have had anything to do with such team, let alone achieve something with them? Yet Van Gaal won the FA cup with them and got us fighting for the top four till the last day and we only lost out on goal difference. Hence, I don't think he's an outdated coach.

Like I have always stated that while he could be blamed for his poor signing eventhough most of his signings were punts taken in however, he did his best with the team. Looking back, I think he's a coach who's suitable for a club that has great pool of talented young players that he could easily pluck into his team like he did at Ajax and AZ Alkmaar (patience would also be required in this case) or a national team with a pool of plethora of talents from which he could choose his team. These options are far better than allowing him to dip into the transfer market.

I won't really say he's poor in the transfer market because he was the one who identified Mane, Martial, Blind however I think he hates spending over the top on players hence his love for taking punts on decent players such as Rojo, Darmain, Blind, ageing Schweinsteiger etc. I saw his Bayern squad and I couldn't wrap my head around the lot of players he had. Players such as Altintop, Dimechelis, Van buyten, 40yrs Van bommel, Tymoshchuks, Pranjic etc. I mean there was no way he could have archieved a lot with these players he had in his defence and midfield but rather than splash huge money on known quality players, he not only continued to persevere with these average old heads in his team but also, preferred to promote young players such as Kroos, Alaba, Badstuber, Muller etc than splash the cash. It's no wonder the first thing Bayern did after he left was to flush out all these average old heads. Of course, Van Gaal would know the players he had in his defence weren't good enough and I doubt they cost much in the first place but he preferred them than spend the cash. He's always said that he doesn't like spending huge on players.

I really don't think he was the one that signed Di Maria because that's not his kind of signings. He didn't sign Herrera and Shaw too.

He chose to add Rooney to midfield, he chose to buy Bastian and add another sluggish player to the ranks so it’s only supporting my point. He was taking us in the wrong direction.

If you gave Pep the job after LVG or after Jose it would make little difference. He’d want to change the tactics on and off the ball, he’d have to teach the team to press and he’d of said loads of the players weren’t fit for purpose.

LVG had some great moments and failures in his career but at his peak was a top coach. But times change and new coaches come along and move things forward, by the team he got to Utd he was behind the curve. No shame in that but he wasn’t implementing something to build on here and there is little correlation between him and the modern interpretation of pressing and possession football.

 

[Lentwood]

Van Gaal got plenty of time and clearly implemented a new system and style of play.

Unfortunately it was a shit one.

Plenty of time? Two seasons? One full summer window? With the squad we had at the time? Given what we know about the lack of structure and strategy at the club?

I really think you're going to be very disappointed with all of our managers for the foreseeable if you think they will walk in and turn everything around in two seasons!

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

He chose to add Rooney to midfield, he chose to buy Bastian and add another sluggish player to the ranks so it’s only supporting my point. He was taking us in the wrong direction.

If you gave Pep the job after LVG or after Jose it would make little difference. He’d want to change the tactics on and off the ball, he’d have to teach the team to press and he’d of said loads of the players weren’t fit for purpose.

LVG had some great moments and failures in his career but at his peak was a top coach. But times change and new coaches come along and move things forward, by the team he got to Utd he was behind the curve. No shame in that but he wasn’t implementing something to build on here and there is little correlation between him and the modern interpretation of pressing and possession football.

Right.

 

[el3mel]

Plenty of time? Two seasons? One full summer window? With the squad we had at the time? Given what we know about the lack of structure and strategy at the club?

I really think you're going to be very disappointed with all of our managers for the foreseeable if you think they will walk in and turn everything around in two seasons!

The only reason why this process seemed to need a longer time for LVG is his transfers were too crap. There's actually no indication another summer would have ended up with him getting proper signings this time and solved the entire mess when he couldn't in the other 2 markets.

Also, his style was obvious by the end of his reign anyway. He did succeeded in playing the way of football he wanted but the problem is it wasn't what we wanted to see, as much as that.

 

[Lentwood]

The only reason why this process seemed to need a longer time for LVG is his transfers were too crap. There's actually no indication another summer would have ended up with him getting proper signings this time and solved the entire mess when he couldn't in the other 2 markets.

Also, his style was obvious by the end of his reign anyway. He did succeeded in playing the way of football he wanted but the problem is it wasn't what we wanted to see, as much as that.

Managers need solid scouting networks and expert recruitment analysts to bring in the right players, Van Gaal did not have that luxury.

Do you think Liverpool would currently be sat on 91pts after 36 games with Klopp in charge without the work Michael Edwards has been doing at the club over the last few years?

Van Gaal knew how he wanted to play and managed to implement a definite change in style. The problem was our players were not necessarily great at playing how he wanted them to play and recruitment collectively was poor

Same goes for Jose though, HE knew how HE wanted to play and what type of players HE wanted....it was just that the club did not agree

 

[el3mel]

Managers need solid scouting networks and expert recruitment analysts to bring in the right players, Van Gaal did not have that luxury.

Do you think Liverpool would currently be sat on 91pts after 36 games with Klopp in charge without the work Michael Edwards has been doing at the club over the last few years?

Van Gaal knew how he wanted to play and managed to implement a definite change in style. The problem was our players were not necessarily great at playing how he wanted them to play and recruitment collectively was poor

Same goes for Jose though, HE knew how HE wanted to play and what type of players HE wanted....it was just that the club did not agree

The style he wanted us to play wasn't good enough and wasn't welcomed by anyone. Yeah possession is great but when you're doing it in the opponent's half not in your own.

So in that regard, yeah the problem here was, is and will be bigger than any manager but for LVG he was an additional problem, because even if we give him the best scouting network and the players he wanted, his style was too boring and crap that it wasn't welcomed by anyone and thus giving him more players would have been a waste of everyone time.

By the time he left he was implanting his style successfully and the picture was clear if we should go with him all the way on that route or not. I don't think many viewed his style as the way to go forward.

I would love a possession based manager, but the problem is LVG's view of possession was very flawed and bad.

 

[Rista]

Van Gaal knew how he wanted to play and managed to implement a definite change in style. The problem was our players were not necessarily great at playing how he wanted them to play and recruitment collectively was poor

Same goes for Jose though, HE knew how HE wanted to play and what type of players HE wanted....it was just that the club did not agree

In other words they were the wrong fit for the club? You don't build the entire club around a manager. At most other top clubs the manager is expected to mostly work with what he has. If you don't have the personnel to play a certain way, you adapt. That's what you'd expect a good manager to do.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

The style he wanted us to play wasn't good enough and wasn't welcomed by anyone. Yeah possession is great but when you're doing it in the opponent's half not in your own.

So in that regard, yeah the problem here was, is and will be bigger than any manager but for LVG he was an additional problem, because even if we give him the best scouting network and the players he wanted, his style was too boring and crap that it wasn't welcomed by anyone and thus giving him more players would have been a waste of everyone time.

By the time he left he was implanting his style successfully and the picture was clear if we should go with him all the way on that route or not. I don't think many viewed his style as the way to go forward.

I would love a possession based manager, but the problem is LVG's view of possession was very flawed and bad.

So the players are the problem now for not creating any valuable chances but it wasn't their fault back when LVG was in charge? LVG went to the basics of possession because that's what are players were - basics of possession. Fellini, Herrera etc. LVG ksaid himself that what his team needed was players with more creativity - something we still lack to this day.

LVG wasn't trapping good players in to retaining possession in his own half - he was doing this with rubbish players. The end of that season this became even more obvious - with the more youth that he would play; the absolutely better we got.

As @abdo99 said with regards to the ajax fan - the youngsters would understand LVG's game plan better than the players who were already drilled in to playing one way - their own way.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

In other words they were the wrong fit for the club? You don't build the entire club around a manager. At most other top clubs the manager is expected to mostly work with what he has. If you don't have the personnel to play a certain way, you adapt. That's what you'd expect a good manager to do.

Seems what is happening at City. They have been building their club up for Guardiola & now that he is there - even if he leaves; they are going to continue with those basics.

Not building your club around a manager leads you to Chelsea - where the club is built around the owner and its players.

 

[Rista]

Is that how proper big clubs are run though? City had won the league without Guardiola too. Spending obscene amounts of oil money was always going to get them there.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Oh man. This thread. It’s like a cult.

 

[Canagel]

Oh man. This thread. It’s like a cult.

Theres also the cult of mourinho. Unfortunately (for him) after his tenure people started to look at LVG in a better light especially as OGS appears to be heading into a rebuild which had already started when LVG was here.

 

[Adnan]

He was a great coach and anyone with a modicum of football knowledge will attest to that.

His issues weren't the style of play he had quite clearly implemented. It was the wrong players he bought to implement that style. He has always worked under a DoF previously and quite clearly needed one at United.

 

[Adnan]

Theres also the cult of mourinho. Unfortunately (for him) after his tenure people started to look at LVG in a better light especially as OGS appears to be heading into a rebuild which had already started when LVG was here.

Believe it or not, there was also the cult of Moyes.

 

[Hoof the ball]

Undoubtedly, our biggest mistake was not following up the Louis van Gaal appointment with a likeminded tactical one. The short term goal was to compete for trophies domestically and in Europe, however, the longer goal was to revamp the entire footballing structure from U-19's all the way through to the first team, using the same footballing approach. Coaching, scouting, and all areas of the club would have been unified in method and approach in the same way that Ajax or Barça are.

Unfortunately, we appointed a manager whom was the complete opposite of him in Mourinho, so rather than building upon the foundation of the basics of progressive build up play, possession orientation and high line defending, we tore that foundation down in order to bring in a pragmatist who required time and patience in order to not only undo previous habits of van Gaal, but to implement his own methodology.

You have to decide what kind of footballing club you want to be, then make appointments which suit that playing approach. That is why you will never find Barcelona courting the services of Mourinho, even if he were available to them, because identity and playing approach is more important than hiring managers based off short-term pursuits.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Believe it or not, there was also the cult of Moyes.

Well, that was more of a Fergie Cult feverently supporting their dark master's acolyte.

 

[Canagel]

Believe it or not, there was also the cult of Moyes.

Because SAF had said to back the new manager and some maybe took it too literally . I think neville is still a member.

At least the other two had won trophies.

 

[Hoof the ball]

He was a great coach and anyone with a modicum of football knowledge will attest to that.

His issues weren't the style of play he had quite clearly implemented. It was the wrong players he bought to implement that style. He has always worked under a DoF previously and quite clearly needed one at United.

Of course, his style of play created that Ajax side, which played some of the best football we've ever seen up until '08 Barcelona came about. In fact, the current Ajax system that ten Haag is playing, that everyone is going crazy about, is typical Dutch Voetbal, the same tactical framework that LvG wanted at United. The only difference is player suitability.

 

[Adnan]

Of course, his style of play created that Ajax side, which played some of the best football we've ever seen up until '08 Barcelona came about. In fact, the current Ajax system that ten Haag is playing, that everyone is going crazy about, is typical Dutch Voetbal, the same tactical framework that LvG wanted at United. The only difference is player suitability.

Agreed..

 

[noodlehair]

Theres also the cult of mourinho. Unfortunately (for him) after his tenure people started to look at LVG in a better light especially as OGS appears to be heading into a rebuild which had already started when LVG was here.

Why do you Van Gaal cult weirdos always refer to your individual opinions as the opinions of "people" or "we" when you come out with nonsense like this?

There's either a bunch of you living in a cave somewhere in your 1990s Ajax cloaks all discussing this with each other every day, or you're just trying to pretend you haven't realised most people think you're talking absolute bollocks.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

You know things are bleak at the moment when posters are trying to claim Van Gaal was actually doing a good job and needed more time.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Oh man. This thread. It’s like a cult.

'
Yeah it is crazy how people can seem to love his football and him as a person. I guess he got result in the past, but the type of football he wants to play is just so bloody dull.
He is certainly not a nice guy or someone likable in my view either.

I guess I kind of like how people talk him up in a way. It is funny to see people twisting everything to make someone look good. If someone did the same with me in my youth day as a player someone could maybe talk me up to be worth buying for a big club even .

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

Why do you Van Gaal cult weirdos always refer to your individual opinions as the opinions of "people" or "we" when you come out with nonsense like this?

There's either a bunch of you living in a cave somewhere in your 1990s Ajax cloaks all discussing this with each other every day, or you're just trying to pretend you haven't realised most people think you're talking absolute bollocks.

'
Yeah it is crazy how people can seem to love his football and him as a person. I guess he got result in the past, but the type of football he wants to play is just so bloody dull.
He is certainly not a nice guy or someone likable in my view either.

I guess I kind of like how people talk him up in a way. It is funny to see people twisting everything to make someone look good. If someone did the same with me in my youth day as a player someone could maybe talk me up to be worth buying for a big club even .

Look one of your own ' people' did the same

 

[Kaglish10]

The style he wanted us to play wasn't good enough and wasn't welcomed by anyone. Yeah possession is great but when you're doing it in the opponent's half not in your own.

So in that regard, yeah the problem here was, is and will be bigger than any manager but for LVG he was an additional problem, because even if we give him the best scouting network and the players he wanted, his style was too boring and crap that it wasn't welcomed by anyone and thus giving him more players would have been a waste of everyone time.

By the time he left he was implanting his style successfully and the picture was clear if we should go with him all the way on that route or not. I don't think many viewed his style as the way to go forward.

I would love a possession based manager, but the problem is LVG's view of possession was very flawed and bad.

It's ridiculous to still keep hammering on boring display when you can see the sluggish players on the pitch with your very eyes. Or weren't you watching the sluggish players such as Rooney, Carrick and Fellaini in the midfield? Where did you expect such fast tempo to have come from? This is really ridiculous everytime I see you post about this. It's like you're living in your own world.

 

[Hoof the ball]

He chose to add Rooney to midfield, he chose to buy Bastian and add another sluggish player to the ranks so it’s only supporting my point. He was taking us in the wrong direction.

I disagreed at the time about Rooney playing deeper, since it was my belief that he wasn't very good in tighter spaces surrounded by players from multiple sides. I understand the Bastian purchase; in fact, most people supported the purchase because it was assumed that he had a level of dictation to his play that could help control the tempo. Shame about his legs going.

If you gave Pep the job after LVG or after Jose it would make little difference. He’d want to change the tactics on and off the ball, he’d have to teach the team to press and he’d of said loads of the players weren’t fit for purpose.

Pep's tactical approach is an evolved method based on Cruyff's approach, which is in turn based on Rinus Michel's. LvG and Pep at least share a common foundation. Inheriting a team from another manager with a similar foundation is always going to be advantageous.

LVG had some great moments and failures in his career but at his peak was a top coach. But times change and new coaches come along and move things forward, by the team he got to Utd he was behind the curve. No shame in that but he wasn’t implementing something to build on here and there is little correlation between him and the modern interpretation of pressing and possession football.

Interestingly enough, Pep evolved his system by spending time in Germany, which taught him the value of vertical play in companionship with his possession emphasis. It's there that Pep learned how to counter-press effectively, which set him up perfectly the transition to the Premier League. Incidentally enough, LvG implemented a very good aggressive pressing system with lots of counter-attacking and counter-pressing at AZ Alkmaar. The difference is, Pep used it here and LvG didn't.

 

[Milo2035]

The draw vs Chelsea (van persie scored in last minutes)... We played breathtaking football in the first half.

 

[Lentwood]

In other words they were the wrong fit for the club? You don't build the entire club around a manager. At most other top clubs the manager is expected to mostly work with what he has. If you don't have the personnel to play a certain way, you adapt. That's what you'd expect a good manager to do.

Jose was definitely the wrong fit, even though I think he is a world-class manager. LvG COULD have been the right fit but was unlikely to ever be in it for the long haul at his age

The fact that they were the wrong men at the wrong time is not on them though, it's another failing of the club. I just really dislike the dogs abuse they both get on here when both are two of the greatest managers of all time and more than that, it deflects from the REAL problem

 

[Kaglish10]

He chose to add Rooney to midfield, he chose to buy Bastian and add another sluggish player to the ranks so it’s only supporting my point. He was taking us in the wrong direction.

If you gave Pep the job after LVG or after Jose it would make little difference. He’d want to change the tactics on and off the ball, he’d have to teach the team to press and he’d of said loads of the players weren’t fit for purpose.

LVG had some great moments and failures in his career but at his peak was a top coach. But times change and new coaches come along and move things forward, by the team he got to Utd he was behind the curve. No shame in that but he wasn’t implementing something to build on here and there is little correlation between him and the modern interpretation of pressing and possession football.

Didn't he want Mane but was refused by the board? Also, the board had expected him to keep using Herrera whom he never signed. Hence, I don't blame him making a swift move for Schweisteiger at a cheap price since he had no backing from the board for a more expensive creative central midfielder. Lest I forget, we were on top of the league table with a midfield duo of Schweisteiger and Schneiderlin in December before Schweisteiger got injured and everything came crashing down because Herrera couldn't replicate Schweisteiger's control and creativity in the midfield.

While some of his signings weren't good enough, most of them came in at a very cheap price, similar to Nolito's kind of signing by Pep and I don't see anyone give Pep grieve on that because we all know those kind of signings are always hit or miss. As a matter of fact, majority of Pep's signings didn't come cheap. If you want quality players, you have to splash the money and by the time Van Gaal wanted the board to splash on Mane, they refused. If he wasn't around to veoted the move on Renato Sanches, we would have been saddled with another rubbish signing from the board.

There's nothing outdated about LVG. He took an ageing less talented Dutch team to the third place final at the world cup before he became our manager. He won the FA cup with a rubbish ageing squad sprinkled with few talented unproven kids (Martial, Rashford, CBJ) and fought for the top four till the very last day with the said squad.

How many of the outfield players Van Gaal won the FA cup with, was able to make Mourinho's team? Only Fellaini and Smalling! Mourinho couldn't even work with them, let alone think of winning anything with an ageing sluggish + few talented unproven kids squad. But Van Gaal did wonders with them!

 

[el3mel]

The draw vs Chelsea (van persie scored in last minutes)... We played breathtaking football in the first half.

We played good football at several times in his first season. Problem is he threw everything he did in the first season and turned to a total coward the second one. I was pretty supportive of him at that time and thought with a proper summer he can built on what he was building in that famous run in second half of the season, but he fecked up the squad in summer and turned to a complete coward who just wants to keep ball in his own half to decrease number of shots.

 

[Leftback99]

Lest I forget, we were on top of the league table with a midfield duo of Schweisteiger and Schneiderlin in December before Schweisteiger got injured and everything came crashing down because Herrera couldn't replicate Schweisteiger's control and creativity in the midfield.

None of this happened.

How many of the outfield players Van Gaal won the FA cup with, was able to make Mourinho's team? Only Fellaini and Smalling! Mourinho couldn't even work with them, let alone think of winning anything with an ageing sluggish + few talented unproven kids squad. But Van Gaal did wonders with them!

Romero, Smalling, Valencia, Mata, Rashford, Fellaini, Lingard were all regulars when we won the Europa league.
He beat Everton and Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup, i'm not sure that counts as 'doing wonders'.

As for being great with youth. Amongst the pile of terrible transfer decisions he sold Keane and Zaha for around £6m. Brilliant work.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

None of this happened.

Romero, Smalling, Valencia, Mata, Rashford, Fellaini, Lingard were all regulars when we won the Europa league.
He beat Everton and Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup, i'm not sure that counts as 'doing wonders'.

As for being great with youth. Amongst the pile of terrible transfer decisions he sold Keane and Zaha for around £6m. Brilliant work.

Stop playing video games. A manager doesn't decide what price a player is sold for and doesn't sit there doing negotiations

 

[Leftback99]

Stop playing video games. A manager doesn't decide what price a player is sold for and doesn't sit there doing negotiations

But he could decide McNair and Blackett were better options than Keane at CB (let's ignore the even worse decisions to let Evans go and buy Rojo) and later complain when we had no pace or creativity on the wings .

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Didn't he want Mane but was refused by the board?

Mane says he didn't want to come. Whether that's because of the club, its current predicament or LvG himself, I don't recall.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

'
Yeah it is crazy how people can seem to love his football and him as a person. I guess he got result in the past, but the type of football he wants to play is just so bloody dull.
He is certainly not a nice guy or someone likable in my view either.

I guess I kind of like how people talk him up in a way. It is funny to see people twisting everything to make someone look good. If someone did the same with me in my youth day as a player someone could maybe talk me up to be worth buying for a big club even .

I actually like him as a person, he seems genuine and a nutter. Probably a fun guy to hang out with until you get loaded and step on the wrong eggshell. He's probably a good manager at the personal level, too. The football, though. Narcoleptic.

 

[Sir Scott McToMinay]

Of course, his style of play created that Ajax side, which played some of the best football we've ever seen up until '08 Barcelona came about. In fact, the current Ajax system that ten Haag is playing, that everyone is going crazy about, is typical Dutch Voetbal, the same tactical framework that LvG wanted at United. The only difference is player suitability.

Van Gaal made us look more like De Boer’s Crystal Palace than ten Haag’s Ajax.
Nevertheless, 2-3 players aside, that Ajax team is nothing special imo, they’re riding on crazy confidence high, much like how Leicester won the league, it’s nothing but a freak season.

Van Gaal was given plenty of resources to get players who are “suited to his system”, plain and simple he was a failure and football has passed him by.

 

[Kaglish10]

None of this happened.

Romero, Smalling, Valencia, Mata, Rashford, Fellaini, Lingard were all regulars when we won the Europa league.
He beat Everton and Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup, i'm not sure that counts as 'doing wonders'.

As for being great with youth. Amongst the pile of terrible transfer decisions he sold Keane and Zaha for around £6m. Brilliant work.

This was the league table as at November 2015. Note the point difference between us and Leicester. It was just one point. We were on top of the league at one point prior to Leicester match. Are you even sure you were actually following United at that time? The table below was before Schweisteiger's injury and after his injury, everything came crashing.

https://www.premierleague.com/matchweek/1143/table

Also, Majority of the players you mentioned were more or less squad players either under Mourinho or Van Gaal. It was often one out of Rashford/Martial/Lingard that made into Mourinho's lineups, that was if he considered any of them at all. They were all utility/squad players under Mourinho. Valencia was mostly out due to injury under Van Gaal. Young played in majority of the matches until he was also out too. Mata was mostly deployed as a right winger, same role contended by Lingard after his return from his injury lay off.

Romero was a squad player under Van Gaal after his few early starts, which was due to De gea's transfer saga. He continued his squad role under Mourinho.

You should stop distorting facts to suit your narration.

The fact is Mourinho brought in Zlatan to replace the unproven Rashford in the striker role. Pogba to replace the lethargic midfielders. And Mikhitaryan to replace one of the unproven kids on the wings and also, a choice to have in the midfield. Bailly to replace Blind in defence. Carrick, Rooney and the kids were all dumped to the bench! That's the cold fact!

 

[Kaglish10]

Mane says he didn't want to come. Whether that's because of the club, its current predicament or LvG himself, I don't recall.

Mane says he didn't want to come. Whether that's because of the club, its current predicament or LvG himself, I don't recall.

That was after he joined Liverpool. Of course, he was going to sweet talk about wanting to join Liverpool.

Prior to these, he actually wanted to come here. As a matter of fact, his season even got derailed because his head was already turned by us but Southampton couldn't make a deal with us. It was a lie that he didn't want to come here. Our board made a mess of it. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually turned us down the following season and chose Liverpool over us because we all know how Mourinho always love to snatch intended players off rivals regardless of wanting the said players or not. He did it with Willian, Pedro, Lukaku, Fred, Sanchez and almost with Kante.

 

[Johan07]

Didn't he want Mane but was refused by the board? Also, the board had expected him to keep using Herrera whom he never signed. Hence, I don't blame him making a swift move for Schweisteiger at a cheap price since he had no backing from the board for a more expensive creative central midfielder. Lest I forget, we were on top of the league table with a midfield duo of Schweisteiger and Schneiderlin in December before Schweisteiger got injured and everything came crashing down because Herrera couldn't replicate Schweisteiger's control and creativity in the midfield.

While some of his signings weren't good enough, most of them came in at a very cheap price, similar to Nolito's kind of signing by Pep and I don't see anyone give Pep grieve on that because we all know those kind of signings are always hit or miss. As a matter of fact, majority of Pep's signings didn't come cheap. If you want quality players, you have to splash the money and by the time Van Gaal wanted the board to splash on Mane, they refused. If he wasn't around to veoted the move on Renato Sanches, we would have been saddled with another rubbish signing from the board.

There's nothing outdated about LVG. He took an ageing less talented Dutch team to the third place final at the world cup before he became our manager. He won the FA cup with a rubbish ageing squad sprinkled with few talented unproven kids (Martial, Rashford, CBJ) and fought for the top four till the very last day with the said squad.

How many of the outfield players Van Gaal won the FA cup with, was able to make Mourinho's team? Only Fellaini and Smalling! Mourinho couldn't even work with them, let alone think of winning anything with an ageing sluggish + few talented unproven kids squad. But Van Gaal did wonders with them!

I have no idea why people keeps posting such crap like this. Our BOD consists of like six Glazers, Woodward and a couple of independents. Its a corporate board. To think that this board convenes considering footballing decisions is delusional. There is also no evidence for Van Gaal having no economic backing from the club. If you have followed Van Gaals history he has always downsized the squad where he got employed and put his faith in youth instead. He overdid it at United though.

 

[Kaglish10]

I have no idea why people keeps posting such crap like this. Our BOD consists of like six Glazers, Woodward and a couple of independents. Its a corporate board. To think that this board convenes considering footballing decisions is delusional. There is also no evidence for Van Gaal having no economic backing from the club. If you have followed Van Gaals history he has always downsized the squad where he got employed and put his faith in youth instead. He overdid it at United though.

Mane said he spoke with Van Gaal. That was from the horses mouth hence I don't know what you're saying.

 

[Johan07]

Mane said he spoke with Van Gaal. That was from the horses mouth hence I don't know what you're saying.

You stated that Van Gaal wanted Mane and was refused by the board. Which there is no evidence for; rather Mane himself going on record saying he chose Liverpool himself. You also stated that the board "expected him to keep using Herrera"; which is an even weirder statement.