When Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal was announced as David Moyes’ successor at Manchester United, there was a great excitement around the club. This was the man who guided his native Netherlands to a World Cup semi-final; with the then-United striker Robin van Persie as his captain.
Add to that the purchase of Daley Blind, who had been a crucial and eye-catching player in that 2014 World Cup run, it was inconceivable that Louis van Gaal may not be an instant success as manager of Manchester United.
A loan move for Radamel Falcao and the purchase of Real Madrid’s sensational Angel di Maria only increased expectations further – with many tipping United to win the league in the Dutchman’s maiden season.
Fast forward to May 2015 and it’s a different story. Radamel Falcao had been a failure. Angel di Maria was heavily out of favour and heading for the exit. Nani, Robin van Persie and Rafael were to follow him… and the Red Devils had finished fourth.
Now, this ultimate league position wasn’t all too bad. After all, they had wound up in seventh place in the season previous to that one. Fourth place meant a shot at the Champions League for 2015/16 and a great platform to build on. Was Louis a success at that point? Yes.
Now let’s get to the point. We know the story of this season – the shortcomings of the club in both the league and Champions League. The highest United can realistically hope to finish now is fourth place, again.
Many United fans think it is time for Louis van Gaal to leave; not right now, for that would be foolish, but at the end of the current season, one year before he was due to wave us goodbye anyway.
However, I believe that there is a much better option. Louis van Gaal should be made Director of Football at Manchester United.
It is clear that whilst Van Gaal has an exceptional record against the best teams in the league, teams such as Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, he just cannot get the team on a long unbeaten run, and the Red Devils have all too often become unstuck against less able opponents. Yes, I’m looking at you, Norwich City, MK Dons and AFC Bournemouth.
With the last three Manchester derbies having seen United come away with at least a point, the share of six points shared equally with Arsenal this season, and Liverpool overcome, at least in the league, with relative ease under Van Gaal’s leadership, it is abundantly clear that the Dutchman knows what he’s doing. However, it’s just not enough.
Manchester United should be at the very pinnacle of English football, like they were for the majority of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign. That’s not the case any more. Even in a season where no club has been incredibly consistent, title-deservingly consistent, the once feared Red Devils have not been able to take the mantle. Louis van Gaal is a builder of foundations, not an instantaneous bringer of silverware.
The Dutchman is often criticised for selling Javier Hernandez and Robin van Persie, along with Shinji Kagawa, Luis Nani, Angel di Maria and Danny Welbeck. This criticism almost always comes when United have desperately needed a goal and failed to find the back of the net. However, the Dutchman should instead be praised for his transfer policy – he wanted a small squad so as to be able to bleed youngsters into the team from the club’s academy. Look at Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford in the attack, and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Guillermo Varela and Timothy Fosu-Mensah at the back – brilliant.
This combined eye for a transfer and eye for raw talent are the biggest reason why Louis van Gaal should, in my opinion, be made director of football at United. I don’t mean as a figurehead, a totem. I don’t mean as a go-between from the board to the manager. I mean someone whose experience and knowledge will benefit the club in a very hands-on, practical level – but leave the actual manager or head coach to their own methods tactically and vocally.
With names such as Luke Shaw, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera, Bastian Schweinsteiger and of course Anthony Martial brought to the club by Louis van Gaal, it would be very beneficial to the club if he were to stay in control of transfers – or if not in control, at least be a voice of stern and trusted advice to the manager.
The same goes for the youth players – and this is vitally important. For the sake of argument, let’s imagine Jose Mourinho is the manager of United with this current squad. Would Jesse Lingard get the chance to keep developing? No. Would Regan Poole, Axel Tuanzebe, RoShaun Williams, Angel Gomes or Calum Gribbin get their first-team chance in the same way that Varela, Borthwick-Jackson and Rashford have under Van Gaal? Absolutely not.
Now put Louis van Gaal back into that equation, as director of football. He would work alongside Nicky Butt in the overseeing of the club’s Academy players – and advise Jose Mourinho on which players may deserve a chance in the first team, whilst also maintaining his relationship with the crop of young players he himself brought through as manager, to help them develop and grow into senior figures properly.
History backs up the idea that Louis van Gaal would suit the role well. Louis van Gaal, at various clubs, gave debuts to the following:
- Xavi Hernandez
- Andres Iniesta
- Carles Puyol
- Victor Valdes
- Edgar Davids
- Patrick Kluivert
- Clarence Seedorf
- Rafael van der Vaart
- David Alaba
Quite a list, isn’t it! The Dutchman can be trusted in the transfer market and can be trusted with the youth players – both of which, he would preside over as director of football.
If you’re not convinced yet, allow me to take you back in Van Gaal’s career to when he himself worked under a director of football – alongside none other than Jose Mourinho.
It only lasted one season, but at FC Barcelona, Bobby Robson went from being manager, with Jose Mourinho as his assistant, to being “General Manager” (another name for Director of Football, and exactly the role I’d have van Gaal take at United), with Louis van Gaal as manager of the team, and Mourinho stayed on as the Dutchman’s assistant.
Under that trinity, with van Gaal and Mourinho working hand-in-hand, Barcelona won the league. Robson then moved to the Netherlands to manage PSV Eindhoven – but van Gaal and Mourinho guided the Catalan club to another league title the following season; Robson’s influence was still there.
To me, the success that Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho enjoyed as a pairing is perfect. They worked under one of the greatest ‘football men’ ever, and learned from him and eachother.
Why wouldn’t those two have success again? Whilst Jose Mourinho isn’t my favourite manager or my first choice or preference as Louis van Gaal’s successor, nor has he in any way been confirmed as United’s next manager, I would welcome him with open arms, should Van Gaal be “upstairs” and working with the Portuguese man.
