Here is why Manchester United fans should be excited about Louis van Gaal:
1. He dares to go where even Fergie has feared to tread
Bringing on a goalkeeper before a penalty shoot-out is about as bold a
managerial move as you can get. The only other notable attempt at it was
done by Southend's Paul Sturrock in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Southern
Area semi-final against Oxford in 2013.
There was slightly more at stake in the 2005 FA Cup final between Manchester
United and Arsenal, when Alex Ferguson instructed Tim Howard to warm-up in
extra time with the scoreline locked at 0-0. The shoot-out came and went as
Fergie passed up the opportunity to take off Roy Caroll. The Irishman was
beaten five times out of five to hand Arsenal the cup.
2. Experimental pragmatism
Throughout the tournament,
the Dutchman has shown that he's not a man to blindly stick to
footballing dogma when things aren't going his way. As a result,
Holland have shown the remarkable ability to switch between formations
during games, be it a 4-3-3, 5-2-3, or 3-5-2. And it invariably
works. Within 30 minutes against Costa Rica, the Dutch made more passes
than 197 they completed in the entirety of their group stage win over
Chile.
3. Fergie time is back
United fans will once again have
plenty of reasons to stay in their seats deep into added time. Holland
have struggled for large parts in their last two games, but van Gaal
has come into this own with late substitutions. Before Tim Krul, the
Dutch boss hauled off Robin van Persie for Klaas Jan Huntelaar for his
first appearence against Mexico. He helped make one goal and scored
the winner. Contrast that to David Moyes keeping on a crocked van Persie
against Newcastle in December: "If I'd brought him off some people
would say 'What are you doing? You are 1-0 down and you're taking off
your top goalscorer," said a hapless Moyes after that game.
Against
Chile, midfielder Leroy Fer scored within a minute of coming on to
break a 0-0 deadlock, while second sub, Memphis Depay, added the other.
4. Mind-games
Before this World Cup, Holland had a truly
dreadful record of four defeats from five penalty shoot-outs in major
tournaments. Costa Rica on the other hand, took brilliant, unsaveable
spot-kicks in their last match. Bringing on Tim Krul was as much a
confidence trick as anything else. Costa Rica weren't to know the
Newcastle keeper wasn't a penalty-saving God, but the substitution
made them think he may well be, while scuppering all their
preparations for facing Cillessen. Bryan Ruiz and co duly fluffed their
lines.
5. He's brave and lucky in equal measure
Van Gaal wears a
lucky orange bracelet on his right wrist. It seems to be serving him
well so far, but Arjen Robben has other thoughts on the source of his
boss's midas touch: "Maybe Louis does have a golden willy," he mused
after the game against Mexico.
6. A happy camp
Dutch teams at international
tournaments have been known as much for their in-fighting and
factionalism as Total Football, being rubbish at penalty shoot-outs
and never getting their hands on the elusive trophy. Not this time
however. The Dutch camp is a paragon of harmony in Brazil, no doubt
aided by van Gaal's decision to allow players' wives, girlfriends and
children to join them every step of the way. Substituted Jasper
Cillessen's post-match celebrations also proved that there's little
room for egos in this squad.
7. The players
For all his brash persona off the pitch,
van Gaal seems to engender genuine loyalty and unflinching devotion
from his team. United fans can expect to hear a lot less of Robin van
Persie lamenting that his team-mates are getting in his way on the
pitch next season.
8. Another ego has landed
The Dutchman relishes putting
himself, rather than his players, centre-stage at every available
opportunity, a quality that has served his former-Barcelona chum Jose
Mourinho pretty well. Over to you now, Jose.
9. He's not a man to waste his words on modesty
On the Tim Krul move: "That was beautiful. I'm a bit proud of that."
10. Making the most of what you've got
Van Gaal hasn't
had the kind of riches that have been at the disposal of his
predecessors as Holland coach. He's had to make do with a relatively
average Dutch squad in Brazil, deciding to deploy the tireless Dirk
Kuyt at full-back. It worked, suggesting that even Marouane Fellaini
could find a home somewhere on the pitch next season.
11. Music to United fans ears
Louis van Gaal's mantra at
this World Cup? "We're not a great team but a team which is difficult
to beat." Welcome news for a side that's looking to get back to the
summit of English football.
12. Past form is no guarantee of future success
Tim
Krul had saved two out of 20 penalties for Newcastle. Swansea's Michael
Vorm, also on the bench, had a far superior spot-kick record.
"We
all thought that Tim Krul was the best keeper to stop penalties. He is
taller and has a longer reach," said van Gaal after the game, who had
primed the Newcastle stopper for that very job. "We prepared for the
Costa Rica penalties just as we prepared for our own penalties."
13. Normal service is resumed
After his antics at the
World Cup, Louis van Gaal is already feared, admired and resented in
equal measure by every football fan in England. Like an Manchester
United manager should be.
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