Manchester United sack Louis van Gaal: His first press conference at the club analysed
Monday 23 May 2016 21:36, UK
After Louis van Gaal's sacking, we look back at his first press conference as Manchester United manager on 17 July 2014 to see how his initial aims, ambitions and ideas unfolded in reality…
Van Gaal: There's a lot of expectation but it's also a great challenge because of that. I worked for Barcelona - in my opinion, number one in Spain. I've coached Ajax - number one in the Netherlands. And I've coached Bayern Munich - number one in Germany. Now I'm in Manchester United - number one in England. I hope I fulfil the expectation but it shall be difficult.
What happened next: After presiding over Manchester United's second and third-worst Premier League campaigns, Louis van Gaal conceded he had failed to meet the expectations of the club's supporters.
However, the Dutchman also suggested that perhaps the supporters - used to regular Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson - were demanding too much from the current side.
"Of course (I understand the boos), because I have also said that the expectation is very high, especially the fans," Van Gaal told Sky Sports after some supporters jeered him during his end-of-season speech.
"They are expecting a lot. But I think these expectations are much too high, and we are a team in transition, and that I have said when I started here. Maybe I have to bring over the message much clearer than I have done."
Van Gaal: For me, the challenge is always to come first. Not fourth. But when you have to analyse after one season, it's dependent on the click between the players and the manager.
What happened next: What Louis van Gaal would have given for fourth this season. After returning Manchester United to the Champions League qualifying positions in his first campaign, Van Gaal's side spent much of the 2015/16 season out of the top-four and ended up fifth.
As for finishing first, that never seemed a realistic possibility for United in the past two seasons. After finishing 2014/15 17 points off champions Chelsea, Van Gaal's side did briefly sit at the summit of the Premier League in September but ultimately wound up 15 points adrift of winners Leicester.
Van Gaal: I'm democratic, empathetic to human beings. Of course I have a strong personality, but the other characteristics are more important. That's the key of my personality.
What happened next: While Van Gaal provided some jovial moments with the press, his conferences were regularly stern affairs - and some United players have complained of a difficult relationship with him.
Angel Di Maria, sold to PSG in the summer of 2015, 12 months on from his British transfer record £59.7m move to Old Trafford, revealed last September he had clashed with the Dutchman.
"It is difficult to adapt to Van Gaal because he points to his philosophy. Everyone takes what he wants and does," said the Argentina international. "I started very well with him and then had a couple of clashes. There came a time when I did not have a good relationship with Van Gaal and that influences much in a player's mind."
Nani, loaned to Sporting Lisbon in Van Gaal's first season before later being sold to Fenerbahce, has also spoken out about his struggles with the manager.
"He and his assistant were shouting at players like we were kids, like 18-year-olds," Nani told The Times in April. "And I think: 'This is not the way to treat us because I am professional, I am training every day, I'm doing nothing wrong, I'm putting quality in the training'.
"'You must pass the ball like this', 'Come on!' Blah, blah, blah. It's crazy."
Van Gaal: Nicky Butt is already assisting us, Paul Scholes we shall find a role for him and also for Phil Neville, I believe. That's what we want. We have to adapt to the qualities of these people.
What happened next: Nicky Butt was appointed head of the Manchester United Academy in February 2016, following a reshuffle of the youth set-up.
However, Phil Neville - now a coach at Valencia - and Paul Scholes never formed part of Van Gaal's coaching staff at United, with the latter one of the Dutchman's fiercest critics in the media.
Van Gaal: Within two days, I know already how important Manchester United is but also how important the sponsors are.
What happened next: Manchester United's style of play came in for criticism from Adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer in January.
At the time, United had managed just 15 goals at Old Trafford, the worst home record of all 92 clubs in the top-four tiers in England. "We are satisfied [with the shirt sponsorship], even if the current playing style is not exactly what we want to see," Hainer said.
Van Gaal: I have a strong philosophy. Every year I've trained, it confirms this philosophy. Sir Alex also had a strong philosophy and it was always affirming that because he won a lot of titles. I hope I can do that.
What happened next: Van Gaal's football philosophy was certainly apparent - his desire to 'control' games saw United enjoy more possession than any other Premier League side in 2015/16. However, unlike Ferguson's attacking play, Van Gaal's approach failed to deliver the desired results - aside from this season's FA Cup win.
Van Gaal's possession-based approach has regularly been criticised by supporters who implored their team to 'attack, attack, attack'. Even Van Gaal conceded he was sometimes bored by his side's play. "There are also matches where I'm very bored or angry because we are not disorganising our opponent's defence, but that is football," he said in January.
"It's not every match that every club is playing fantastically, football that attracts the people. You have to know that as a player, as a manager and the fans that we can't always play fantastic football and that was also the case in former days when it didn't happen. I'm sorry about that but it is like that."
United managed just 62 goals in Van Gaal's first season - down from 86 in Ferguson's final 2012/13 campaign - and, in 2015/16, recorded their lowest-ever Premier League goals tally of 49.
Van Gaal: The owners and the CEO have a lot of confidence in me. They have come to me and I explained my philosophy and they were excited. Because of that I am here. We have to wait and see if I can fulfil this expectation of those people and the supporters. The fans are very important, I know that.
What happened next: Van Gaal's philosophy lost the faith of the United fans and, despite delivering the FA Cup, the board have acted to remove him from his post, with Jose Mourinho lined up to replace the Dutchman.
