Louis van Gaal interview: Manchester United believe I can wear Ferguson’s legacy

Louis van Gaal says he is ‘very satisfied’ with progress of his reshaping of Manchester United on their pre-season US tour

You stated that you joined a Manchester United that is “broken”. Can you expand on that, please?

I don’t think it is a hard word because I think when you are seventh [last season], at that time the team is unsatisfied and without confidence, and when you are like that you are broken. So now they have me: a new manager, so new chances for the players and they want to show themselves unbelievably [much]. That is nice that they want to do that. But we have to make a way of playing football that is not the same as before, and that is difficult for them. They have to perform under [pressure]. They have to decide within one second [what to do] and that is not easy. So, we have won two times [in friendlies] and it makes it easier than when you lose, whoever the opponent is. Roma is not a light opponent. You can say [LA]Galaxy is an easy opponent. But Roma is not an easy opponent and Inter [who United play in the early hours of Wednesday] is not an easy opponent.

Considering United finished seventh last season is it an easy time to take over at the club?

I don't think so because when you have to make a club that normally plays from first position, and now you are seventh, then you know the selection is not in balance or broken, or that the confidence is wrong. I had to follow Bobby Robson at Barcelona. He had won three titles. That was easier for me than now. The same with the Dutch squad. It was very difficult to succeed Bert van Marwijk because two years before he was second in the World Cup and then he left a broken-up team behind – so that was much more difficult than you think. I was already asked in the past by Manchester United [if I would join them] because Ferguson wanted to quit at that time. [It would have been] more easy at that time.

Came close in the 90s? Were there detailed conversations?

No, no no. Only rumours that he might quit.

Is Ferguson’s legacy not a daunting one?

The club are thinking that I am the man who can wear this legacy, so . . .

How about being compared to Ferguson?

Yes, but that doesn’t bother me. It is nice to be compared to such a class manager. It’s nice when you do that and when you give me a positive compliment then it is nice of them.

What do you think of the challenge of having such a big club such as Manchester City in the same city, a team that has also won the title?

It does not bother me whether they are 10 metres away or 30km away.

What do you think of what Manchester City have done over the last three years?

It is amazing, because they were not a big club and now they are already champions and they have also won the Cup in the last three years. They are knocking at the door but that is good for Manchester United also, because where there is competition you can be proud when you are the champion at the end and maybe we will be the champions.

City fans would argue that they have knocked at the door, opened it, and closed it and now you have to knock at the door again and try to get back through it?

If you like to say that, then you have to write it down! I feel that [you] like to say that.

But that is City fans’ view – that they are on top?

I have learned the word “entice”. You are enticing me. I said “provoke” but Ryan [Giggs] said “entice”. But the players didn’t understand and said “provoke”.

The British footballer is characterised as a man who plays on emotion and doesn’t play in the way you describe as much as the Dutch footballer would. Is that fair?

That is your opinion. You say it, then you say I have to say it.

Is that an unfair statement?

I don’t know because I have to know the players first and then I can judge; you can judge because you have been a journalist for many years and have seen the culture.

From the outside what are your views of a British player?

What [you have] mentioned.

So you share a similar view?

No, because I have already said the players under David Moyes is a lot different to the players under Alex Ferguson, but also under me. But we shall have to wait and see. But from the outside it is fair to say that.

United fans are very excited by the way you handled some of the Holland games in the World Cup. The change of formations, goalkeeper for a shootout etc?

It is also a little bit of luck when you do that! But of course [you] are do[ing] those things with arguments [for good reasons]. Already I give this press conference with a lot of arguments [reasons why], I hope you can understand that.

(Questioner laughs)

You are laughing?

No, we had a manager before that we had a lot of arguments with [Ferguson]

Not arguments, I mean the reasons why. So good that I explained that. I don’t have arguments with you – until this moment!

How much does it mean to you to be managing in the Premier League?

I already had a lot of opportunities. But at the time the priority was not like it is now. I am already 62, so my career is reaching the end, that is why I was in Spain, Germany and Netherlands. There is only one football country I wanted to see on the inside and that was England, because of the level and the atmosphere and that was why I announced in October, so that all of the English clubs knew. I had more offers than just from Manchester United. In October I announced it. I said it 10 minutes before the end at a press conference as coach of the Netherlands. They were very angry that I did it. They said it was unbelievable that I could say that before the World Cup, and I said that was bullshit because the pressure I put on myself is higher than the press ever can do.

Is it a dream to manage United?

I don't say it's a dream, because I am 62 and I know what I can do and I think Manchester United know what I can do. And I think that is why they have come for me and they were not the only club. Tottenham Hotspur also came. I am not a child any more, I know what I can do, but it's fantastic because not any coach can work with the biggest clubs. I have experience because I worked in Spain with the No 1 club, in Germany with the No 1 club and also in the Netherlands, and I speak the language which is important. It's now much easier than when I went to Spain, because I didn't speak the language but within one year I spoke the language. I speak English my way, but people understand it. You can understand everything I say and that's the most important thing. In Germany I spoke the language at once, and that is why I always choose countries where I can speak the language, because for me communication is very important. The third thing is my philosophy, and that philosophy I have shown in every job I have had. These are the three qualities that convinced Ed Woodward and the owners to appoint me.

Can you talk a little more about your tactics at the World Cup?

We have transformed the Dutch school from 4-3-3 and depending on the opponent it can be 5-3-2 as well. Also against Roma [in Saturday’s 3-2 win] they played with three strikers so I changed it to five defenders. But we pushed through. That is the kind of thing I have done with the Dutch school. Transform it into a new system. But all the players here at Manchester United are used to playing 4-3-3. So I can change like I did with the Dutch team [at the World Cup] against Mexico to 4-3-3. I only have to change one position and we play 4-3-3.

So it is dependent on the process of where we are. Until now I am very satisfied but maybe tomorrow we lose to Inter, they are playing the same system; and when you followed the World Cup the Dutch squad had most of the problems when playing against opponents who are using the same system. Chile, we beat them 2-0 but [only] in the last 10 minutes did we beat them, and now we [United] are not fit enough because we have only had three or four days to recover.

[At the World Cup] we played against Mexico who played the same system and won 2-1 and drew against Costa Rica 0-0. Three games with the same system playing against each other and all three games were decided in the last 10 minutes. Interesting eh? Interesting. You’re all coaches now.

(Guardian Service)