van Gaal joins: Official

Shark said:
He's not that old. Only 2 years older than Pellegrini who looks far older. He could be here for 5 or 6 seasons which isn't exactly too short term.
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yes he could, but he could also have it in his head that this is his last contract a last hurrah before retiring.

im hopful Van Gaal will be building for the long term no matter how long he plans on staying, but thier is a possibility that he won't, and will only have an eye on reaching his goals, and be dammed what happens after he leaves.

we dunno, we just have to hope
 
(Don't know if it's been posted before) but some reactions to Van Gaal's appointment :



 
#07 said:
I'm not saying he is a bad player but Kluivert's career spanned from 1994 to 2008. If you think of the strikers active during that time period at the top of the game I think its fair to say Kluivert wasn't at quite that level. You have already named Luiz Ronaldo but there's also the likes Batitsuta, Raul, Van Nistlerooy etc. Kluivert was 28 years old when he ended up at Newcastle. If he was one of the game's truly elite he wouldn't have turned up at a club that had won nothing in decades at 28.
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A lot has been said already about his injuries and Ronaldinho like mentality, and I'm a bit late reacting. But when I said it was one of the more ridiculous things I also was referring a bit to the fact that Kluivert scored the winner for Van Gaal in the CL-Final against Milan in '95. Ajax won the league that year too, topscorer for Ajax was an 18 year old lad called Kluivert. In his first season at Barca he scored 15 goals and gave 16 assists, he was one of the least selfish top bracket strikers. Barca won the league and Van Gaal owes a lot to him. So I wouldn't say, like you did, that 'Kluivert was lucky to play under Van Gaal'.

People really underrate Kluivert as an assisting player, he could play the #10 spot very well too, gave shitloads of assists during his career. If you talk about raw talent, of the whole Seedorf, Davids, Reiziger, Frank De Boer, Ronald de Boer, Bogarde, Overmars batch, Kluivert was the most talented one for sure. He was all time leading top scorer of the Dutch national team for 10 years until RVP took it this season, and he has scored some truly vital goals for Holland. As a pure poacher Ruud was utterly brilliant, but born on the same day as Kluivert, I haven't heard many people who think RVN was anywhere near Kluiverts level raw talent wise. As a #9 there was nothing RVN could do that Kluivert could not, and Kluivert could also assist or play as a #10.

Batistuta was great, Shearer deservesto be mentioned perhaps, but I wouldn't say they were on the same level as Kluivert in terms of talent. Raul was though. Very, very special player he was, like Kluivert he could poach, but also was very intelligent.

And I would say Van Gaal knows how much he owes to Kluivert, he's a man that is always 100% loyal to people who were really important to him in his coaching career. It's one of the reasons he took him as an assistant to the National team and from what I've read in the Dutch press he really would've wanted Kluivert as an assistant for us if Ryan Giggs wouldn't be there. Not that I think Van Gaal has any problems with Giggs having to be on our coaching staff.

Would like to add to that, all things considered, that Van Gaal was the lucky one, working at Ajax who had just produced and also sold Van Basten and Bergkamp, there still was a ridiculous amount of talent coming through, where he benefited from massively.
 
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It was him who put Badstuber into the team?

Think we'll rely on the CBs we have then since they're all miles better than he's ever been.
 
Nytram Shakes said:
well giggs isnt incharge at the moment(rightly so) it Van Gaal, and rightly it shoul be the manager having final say on transfer. we don't have a sporting director and so it is the manager who chooses targets, which personally i think is the way a club should be,

and don't get me wrong i think Van Gaal was the best possible appointment we could have made this summer. but i do have a slight concern that he will only be intrested in one last hurrah as a manager before retiring and won't have the long term health of united at the center of his plans.

hopfully that wont be the case, but it is my only real concern about the appoment
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Fact of matter is, there are many unknowns when it comes to new managers. Mou couldn't get Chelsea to win the League for example, and there are no guarantee any younger managers are an instant fit for our club. For now, Giggs will take care of things according to the new manager's instructions and it's win win situation for us. They will make a good pair. No worries.
 
Ekeke said:
It was him who put Badstuber into the team?

Think we'll rely on the CBs we have then since they're all miles better than he's ever been.
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Yes. Used him as a left back too in his first season if I remember correctly. Second season I believe there was a story how Badstuber burst into tears after a very fierce outburst from Van Gaal.

I think I also remember Van Gaal kissing Martin Demicheles on the mouth ore something in an outburst of, well I dont know, during a very heated (semi-final?) Champions League game in his first season there.

Edit: Found it. Video would be even better, but cant find that.

ept_sports_sow_experts-39897339-1272423495.jpg
 
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redevil2 said:
I am glad you think this way, because it shows your knowledge (or the lack of) about the whole situation.
1. His pairing with Giggsy is a force (best of both worlds). They compliment each other and both have winning mentality.
2. Pellegrini won it in his first year here (his age is similar to LvG and credential less. Granted City has bottomless pocket, but then Man United is never renowned for buying trophies as you know!
3.. How would you compare Wenger to Van Gaal from an Arsenal fan's point of view? Ability-wise, CV and age-wise.:)
4. As far as ambition is concerned, he has big ambition and our club has not been used to being second. The season we just had was an exception because of a poor manager who aspired to play like City. Our players' ambition was largely dented and lost confidence, which will be easily gained back with a character like LvG.

The job is not easy, but it is easily attainable because our club is used to winning (not an specialist in failure lol)
:cool:
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I think you'll find my knowledge of the situation is absolutely fine, thank-you.

Firstly, let's remove some of the myths of your post. Manchester United consistently spent the most money of any team in the league for a long time, and the reason they've been outstripped by Chelsea and Man City is because those two sides needed huge investment to make the difference up.

You also seem to have the view that Moyes' season was just a one-off caused by a rubbish manager. I'll grant you he wasn't the right manager, but his effect has been overstated.

Fundamentally, United are a tired side with a great need for a sizeable personnel and mentality change. We're talking here about a complete redevelopment of the back four, a complete rethink of the centre of midfield, and probably 5-8 players leaving this summer.

This is a huge job. To suggest LVG comes in and just instantly turns you into title winners is beyond ridiculous. It would be an astonishing achievement, even if he did notionally resolve all of the issues in your squad in one summer.

Top four is your aim this year, no matter what you reveal to the press. That's the realistic progression.
 
Shark said:
He's not that old. Only 2 years older than Pellegrini who looks far older. He could be here for 5 or 6 seasons which isn't exactly too short term.
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yeah, I don't get it why people should be worrying about his age. Wenger is older than him lol

As far as I see it, LvG is full of energy and can work well beyond 65-68 if he wants to. Man United is a club which he could find a lot of interesting challenge and it is a great platform for him. It win win
 
redevil2 said:
yeah, I don't get it why people should be worrying about his age. Wenger is older than him lol

As far as I see it, LvG is full of energy and can work well beyond 65-68 if he wants to. Man United is a club which he could find a lot of interesting challenge and it is a great platform for him. It win win
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yeah. his age is not an issue. the guy looks full of energy and on top of his game. Can't wait to see him at United and what he will do. His press conferences should be fun.
 
alastair said:
I think you'll find my knowledge of the situation is absolutely fine, thank-you.

Firstly, let's remove some of the myths of your post. Manchester United consistently spent the most money of any team in the league for a long time, and the reason they've been outstripped by Chelsea and Man City is because those two sides needed huge investment to make the difference up.

You also seem to have the view that Moyes' season was just a one-off caused by a rubbish manager. I'll grant you he wasn't the right manager, but his effect has been overstated.

Fundamentally, United are a tired side with a great need for a sizeable personnel and mentality change. We're talking here about a complete redevelopment of the back four, a complete rethink of the centre of midfield, and probably 5-8 players leaving this summer.

This is a huge job. To suggest LVG comes in and just instantly turns you into title winners is beyond ridiculous. It would be an astonishing achievement, even if he did notionally resolve all of the issues in your squad in one summer.

Top four is your aim this year, no matter what you reveal to the press. That's the realistic progression.
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Again I am glad you think this way. I strongly believer we are not being delusional when I said the past season was an one off. Players lost confidence not because they couldn't do it, it's because they were mismanaged. We are Fergie no more but it was a champions team who won something not too long ago. To suggest a total overhaul is ridiculous. Yeah, it was really a bad move when Vidic is gone when he still has alot to offer (Moyes was the reason he leaves not because he's not good enough for us any more).

All in all, what you said are mostly your wishful thinking and hardly objective. But I won't lose sleep over it because we do have a bright future to look forward to. LvG was not born yesterday and if he said one year, he is going for it. Only time will tell. I am very very optimistic. :)
 
redevil2 said:
Again I am glad you think this way. I strongly believer we are not being delusional when I said the past season was an one off. Players lost confidence not because they couldn't do it, it's because they were mismanaged. We are Fergie no more but it was a champions team who won something not too long ago. To suggest a total overhaul is ridiculous. Yeah, it was really a bad move when Vidic is gone when he still has alot to offer (Moyes was the reason he leaves not because he's not good enough for us any more).

All in all, what you said are mostly your wishful thinking and hardly objective. But I won't lose sleep over it because we do have a bright future to look forward to. LvG was not born yesterday and if he said one year, he is going for it. Only time will tell. I am very very optimistic. :)
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It's really not wishful thinking. The drop-off has happened.

LVG has issues to resolve. I will focus on just two:

a) Ferdinand and Vidic were United's best defensive partnership for a long time. They've both left in the same summer, leaving LVG to sign a new player whilst also trying to oversee the improvement of the other three so at least one becomes top class. Difficult.

b) You literally don't have a single CM capable of playing CL football except maybe Carrick if he returns to some semblance of form. Huge problem.

You didn't go from 1st to 7th just because of Moyes. You just aren't one of the best teams in the league anymore.
 
redevil2 said:
Can you have a look at post #588 and see if you can summarise min 47 to 1 hr 1 min?http://www.rtlxl.nl/#!/rtl-late-night-301978/356041dd-aa61-3059-88fa-4877cf163475
Thanks in advance.
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Do you have starting 11 from Holland in your mind?

No, Of course I have in theory a staring 111 but that is dependent what the players let me see from them during the training and the friendlies between now and the start of the World Cup.

Has it become more difficult since Kevin Strootman has been injured?

No there are other concerns. In Holland at the moment we are short of good left backs, not just playing in Holland but Dutchmen playing left back abroad (obviously does not rate Buttner). Daley Blind can play there and he is the best that we have but it is not his best position. Because of the injury to Strootman and the lack of a good left back and I still have Sneijder and VD Vaart I am thinking of playing a 3-4-3 system

With this system you will have someone behind the striker. This means that one of Sneijder, Wijnaldum or vd Vaart will not be in the final selection?

Not necessarily so and I said regarding Buttner earlier it is not honest to anyone to answer this now

Holland has not won a friendly since they qualified for the WC finals. The media is critical of this. Are we expecting too much. How do you see this?

In these games I am trying a new system and I have given a lot of games to the younger players.

What is the aim of the Dutch team in the WC?

The KNVB (Dutch FA) expects us to fish in the top 4 and this is still our aim. It is going to be difficult but the media always expects more from us. We are small country with a good football tradition and a good infrastructure and good coaches and we will try to win the WC, but is going to be difficult and we are in a tough group
 
redevil2 said:
Fact of matter is, there are many unknowns when it comes to new managers. Mou couldn't get Chelsea to win the League for example, and there are no guarantee any younger managers are an instant fit for our club. For now, Giggs will take care of things according to the new manager's instructions and it's win win situation for us. They will make a good pair. No worries.
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well unfortunatly i do worry, specifically after the last year. and like you say thier are no guarantees.

but van gaal is the right appoinment, i just hope he has a long term vision, but thier no way to tell at this stage. and if he does want to sign players like robben, then the borad have t say no.
 
Beaten by Wenger by one vote(altough I am quite sure Al has me on ignore).
 
Henrik Larsson said:
A lot has been said already about his injuries and Ronaldinho like mentality, and I'm a bit late reacting. But when I said it was one of the more ridiculous things I also was referring a bit to the fact that Kluivert scored the winner for Van Gaal in the CL-Final against Milan in '95. Ajax won the league that year too, topscorer for Ajax was an 18 year old lad called Kluivert. In his first season at Barca he scored 15 goals and gave 16 assists, he was one of the least selfish top bracket strikers. Barca won the league and Van Gaal owes a lot to him. So I wouldn't say, like you did, that 'Kluivert was lucky to play under Van Gaal'.

People really underrate Kluivert as an assisting player, he could play the #10 spot very well too, gave shitloads of assists during his career. If you talk about raw talent, of the whole Seedorf, Davids, Reiziger, Frank De Boer, Ronald de Boer, Bogarde, Overmars batch, Kluivert was the most talented one for sure. He was all time leading top scorer of the Dutch national team for 10 years until RVP took it this season, and he has scored some truly vital goals for Holland. As a pure poacher Ruud was utterly brilliant, but born on the same day as Kluivert, I haven't heard many people who think RVN was anywhere near Kluiverts level raw talent wise. As a #9 there was nothing RVN could do that Kluivert could not, and Kluivert could also assist or play as a #10.

Batistuta was great, Shearer deservesto be mentioned perhaps, but I wouldn't say they were on the same level as Kluivert in terms of talent. Raul was though. Very, very special player he was, like Kluivert he could poach, but also was very intelligent.

And I would say Van Gaal knows how much he owes to Kluivert, he's a man that is always 100% loyal to people who were really important to him in his coaching career. It's one of the reasons he took him as an assistant to the National team and from what I've read in the Dutch press he really would've wanted Kluivert as an assistant for us if Ryan Giggs wouldn't be there. Not that I think Van Gaal has any problems with Giggs having to be on our coaching staff.

Would like to add to that, all things considered, that Van Gaal was the lucky one, working at Ajax who had just produced and also sold Van Basten and Bergkamp, there still was a ridiculous amount of talent coming through, where he benefited from massively.
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I am not going to rebut what you said there or express some opposite view about Kluivert as you might have known alot about him than some of us here. That said, you need to know that in every circumstances, there is always a special reason for two people to work together well. The history between LvG and Kluivert, yes. But it does not mean they can do the same in Man United, especially what Kluivert is lack of is the ins and outs of Man United. To Giggs, it is not just a job. It is a mission. At the end of day, Kluivert might be buddy of LvG, it doesnt mean they can reproduce seamlessly a winning team quickly. With Giggs, there are just so many positives. And I remember hearing some time ago about Kluivert prefers to stay with the International team after the WC. There are many different reasons, for example family. If he's not here, there is a reason. I think LvG will be just fine without him
 
alastair said:
Was Van Gaal included in the poll asking who Redcafe wanted to replace Ferguson? If so, how did he score?
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He was the best available option, i doubt he was the first choice for anyone here, but he's still a top manager nonetheless and that's why we're happy.
 
alastair said:
It's really not wishful thinking. The drop-off has happened.

LVG has issues to resolve. I will focus on just two:

a) Ferdinand and Vidic were United's best defensive partnership for a long time. They've both left in the same summer, leaving LVG to sign a new player whilst also trying to oversee the improvement of the other three so at least one becomes top class. Difficult.

b) You literally don't have a single CM capable of playing CL football except maybe Carrick if he returns to some semblance of form. Huge problem.

You didn't go from 1st to 7th just because of Moyes. You just aren't one of the best teams in the league anymore.
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Again wishingful thinking and you are wrong. If Fergie is still around, you wouldn't have given our team the thumbs down would you, because you ignore us as a powerhouse at your peril and we would always have the last laugh. The price we paid this last season is huge but it is a one off. Come back here around Christmas and see who's proven wrong.
 
Sixpence said:
This is the thing, he knows exactly what he's going to do when he gets here. He hasn't even seen them train but he knows what he is looking for. Moyes had no clue what to look for or what he was doing. He isn't scared of coming here, he just sees it as another job and there's no chance he'll be overawed by it. It's probably quite relaxing after managing Bayern and the Dutch side. He's having the run of the joint and I can't wait.
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Certainly not expecting any "they've even given me my own mousepad!" photo shoots on van Gaal's first day!
 
redevil2 said:
Again wishingful thinking and you are wrong. If Fergie is still around, you wouldn't have given our team the thumbs down would you, because you ignore us as a powerhouse at your peril and we would always have the last laugh. The price we paid this last season is huge but it is a one off. Come back here around Christmas and see who's proven wrong.
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Yeh, you're just talking complete rubbish now. This divine right for United to win doesn't apply in real life.
 
alastair said:
Yeh, you're just talking complete rubbish now. This divine right for United to win doesn't apply in real life.
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Well, I have been really patient with you. Yeah in real life there is no such thing as divine right. Every time we win, we won for a good reason. The league table never lies. Whoever are up there are better. That's why we did not win anything last season (as opposed to previously we were always above you. It is not our divine right to win, we were just better. Not arrogant either. Bye!)
 
Longer than Moyes did.
 
Seveneric said:
How long will this tacky Oranje header last though?
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I am surprised it is not in the news yet... You know these day on my FB news feed, any topics from cute cats to crying babies are posted as news by the media outlets. lol
 
alastair said:
Yeh, you're just talking complete rubbish now. This divine right for United to win doesn't apply in real life.
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Arsenal won't finish top 4 this season. At the start of every season your objective is 4th - and you only got it this time around because of David Moyes. If i were you I'd worry more about yourselves rather than 'Man Yoo'.

NinjaZombie said:
So, one of our players to make a costly slip, and Januzaj crying at the end of the penultimate game of the season with Evans waving the camera away? :(
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After the 'Moyes' debacle, I'd genuinely take that tbh. Finishing second that is.
 
Hal9000 said:
He said that Liverpool when from 7th last season to title challengers this season. He expects us to do the same.
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I got what Van Gaal was saying. If you read my post again hopefully it will be apparent that I was saying that I didn't think that he meant that we would crumble at the last minute.
 
To be honest i am very excited. In 2009 Bayern were a wreck of a team lacking an idenity. In fact Lahm was fined for speaking frankly about the situation in Nov...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...and-Luca-Toni-for-breaches-of-discipline.html

In short Bayern had some big name players, but no philosophy or direction. Yet a few years later Van Gaal had everything pointed in the right direction. True Van Gaal ran into issues with Bayern's heirarchy, but it is hard not to see Bayern's current success clearly traced to the foundations VG laid. So even if he doesn't last long, I for one am very hopeful United at least find an identity and a path forward.
 
fishfingers15 said:
I don't think our hierarchy will have issues with Van Gaal as well. We give our manager a lot of leeway, look at how much Moyes got away with.
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Indeed. In fact I think he'll relish the fact that he'll have an (mostly) absolute authority over how things run at the club.
 
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