@AlexJMoretto on Louis van Gaal

Red Devils go Dutch

            When Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester at the conclusion of the 2012/13 season, no one could have predicted the disaster that would follow. The Scotsman was the mortar holding this ailing team together, and with his departure, the bricks at Old Trafford began to crumble. David Moyes came in, lacking a clear plan and direction, nearly capsizing this sinking ship. The rest is history.

Thankfully, for the sake of the supporters, the sun rises with every new day – and Red Devils fans will take the news of David Moyes’ departure as a chance to turn the page on a disastrous campaign in search of brighter days ahead. Enter Louis van Gaal.

The Dutchman’s abrasive management style has come under plenty of scrutiny during his time with other top European clubs. He tends to act more as a dictator than coach. Normally these tendencies are less than ideal when attempting to manage a group of star players, and in the past they have led to bitter break-ups with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

However, this might be a best-case scenario for Manchester United; a club with a fractured ego and damaged reputation could use Van Gaal’s disciplinarian tactics to help restore confidence within Old Trafford.

“It is not a question you can answer easily,” now former United defender Nemanja Vidic told BBC Sport regarding what went wrong for them this season.

“Everything did not happen in one week. You can’t say this or that happened. In the cycle of one year, there are a lot of things. But when we lost the chance to win the title, we knew this season was lost. Then it is like resetting a computer and starting again. You want to see lights for the next season. It was a bad time and the players could have done better. But everyone lost belief in the team,” he added.

Van Gaal’s services could not be coming at a more crucial time. The Dutchman is a proven winner with a track record that speaks for itself. He has often been criticized for his two year tenure in Bayern Munich, despite a less than ideal working atmosphere.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Franz Beckenbauer put the Dutchman under constant scrutiny. The ‘he said, she said’ culture within Bayern’s camp led to a endless game of one-upmanship, which left Van Gaal with little reason to believe this was his team.

He was never able to run Bayern the way he wanted, without interference from the higher ups, yet still delivered the league title in his first season in charge, being voted Coach of the Year and becoming the first ever Dutch manager to win the Bundesliga. The majority of players came to accept his punitive management style as the team continued to get results.

His second season was much less impressive, but the blame can not be placed solely on the shoulders of the enigmatic Van Gaal. Bayern have historically struggled after big tournaments, and that is what happened in 2011, following the World Cup in South Africa. Nine Bayern players made it to the final stage of the tournament (third-place match and final), including Arjen Robben, who returned to the team severely injured.

After a calamitous start to the season, the Dutchman was put under close examination, with every dropped point considered a stepping stone towards his termination. Bayern never managed to rebound from their slow start and he was sent packing after less than two full seasons in charge.

Van Gaal was looked upon as a failure, and was accused of having left the club in a fractured state. However, often overlooked are the many good things he did for Die Roten (The Reds). He converted Bastian Schweinsteiger, playing winger for the Bavarians at the time, to a defensive midfielder, where he is now considered top in the world at that position.

The Dutchman’s ability to spot talent has never been questioned, and he has always been a firm believer of promoting from within. With Bayern, Van Gaal gave his utmost respect to two youth team players, relative unknowns at the time, Thomas Muller and Holger Badstuber. He recognised their talent and work ethic, selecting both players for the first team, and they repaid his support. The pair played an important role during his tenure, and continue to lead the team today – much like he did with Xavi in Barcelona, giving the 18-year-old youth team player his first chance with the senior squad, while also rewarding him with his first ever Champions League start with the Blaugrana (Barcelona) at Old Trafford.

Van Gaal’s ability to spot talent extends further than just the pitch, which is why his arrival at Old Trafford should be welcome news for Ryan Giggs. When the Dutchman was first hired by Barcelona, he encountered a man on his staff by the name of Jose Mourinho. Van Gaal recognised his potential and took the inexperienced Portuguese assistant under his wing. Mourinho learned – and continues to credit the Dutchman for helping him grow into the manager he is today. 

Source: Elmundo.es

The current Chelsea boss was taken aback by the standard to which Van Gaal held his players, and the structure of his training regimen. He knew what they were going to do, when they were going to do it and how they would approach it. Van Gaal also let Mourinho take on much more responsibility, entrusting him with the Barcelona B team, and even letting him take over as first team manager for lesser cup games.

Aside from his six years at Ajax, where he won 11 trophies, Van Gaal has never spent more than four years in one place. Whether or not he is considered a long term replacement at Manchester United is still a relative unknown. If his time at the club lasts just a few seasons, they will have a sure-fire replacement in Ryan Giggs. The Welshman will be groomed by Van Gaal from the start, which should ensure he has a bright managerial future, whether it’s with Manchester United or elsewhere.

One thing we know for sure, is the Dutchman’s no nonsense attitude is best suited to help transition a club like Manchester United back to their winning ways. The Red Devils’ catastrophic past season has brought many players into the spotlight, and not for good reasons. A lack of accountability within the dressing room showed the need to clean house on Sir Matt Busby Way. The competitive level within the team began to disappear and the season was written off long before the final matches were played. 

Source: BBC.com

Van Gaal’s aggressive management style means he will not shy away from making difficult decisions, parting with players who aren’t willing to put in the required effort this club needs to get back on track. This is a process which is already underway.

Club legends Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra are set to leave the club, with more expected to follow. The amount of waste collected within the team over the past few seasons is uncanny. Van Gaal will not hesitate to remove the excess fat, keeping around only those willing to put in the work and adapt to his system.

At front and center of this mess is castaway Dutch striker Robin van Persie, who has a long working relationship with Van Gaal. The forward has experienced some of his best years with the national team under the management style of Louis van Gaal. When things go wrong, Van Persie tends to lose his focus and, as a result, his performance suffers. 

Source: FIFA.com

On the pitch, Van Gaal, a firm believer in ‘Totaal Voetbal’, takes a very attacking approach, something United were sorely lacking under David Moyes. The arrival of the new manager in Manchester should help rejuvenate the aging striker, milking every last ounce of football he has left – helping him return to his title winning form from the 2012-13 season.

Van Gaal is credited with helping to create a revolutionary blueprint for attacking football during his early days with Ajax. His style may be controversial, but far from his animated relationships with players, Van Gaal values those who give their all for the team.

Putting in the effort to buy into the system, study it and learn it, will keep you on his good side, leading to a fruitful relationship, beneficial for both parties. This is one of the admirable qualities of the Dutchman. He’s honorable and loyal to his players – if you work hard for him, you will most certainly reap the benefits.

However, this is where the problem currently lies with Manchester United. Van Gaal does not yet have his players. The promise of a plentiful transfer budget was undoubtedly a deciding factor in the Dutchman taking the position. Van Gaal has a clear and refined vision, and United are seriously in need of upgrades in order for his style to successfully translate onto the pitch.

In the past, Van Gaal has made no secret of which players he likes to target in the transfer window. During his first two seasons in Barcelona, he bought eight Dutch players – Michael Reiziger, Winston Bogarde, Ruud Hesp, Patrick Kluivert, Boudewijn Zenden, Phillip Cocu, Ronald and Frank de Boer – five of which played under him at one point or another during his time in Ajax.

His main target this summer will be Roma and Netherlands youngster Kevin Strootman. Van Gaal is a known admirer of the 24-year-old as a player and a person. The feeling is mutual. The central midfielder scored five goals, while adding five assists, in 25 games with the Italian outfit this season, his first with the club. An unfortunate knee injury cut his season short, but not before he could make a lasting impression on the supporters.

He isn’t expected to return to action until October, which could complicate matters. Will Van Gaal want his first purchase to be a player who can’t make an impact until midway through the season? The Dutchman does things his way, so it’s unlikely that should matter. Strootman is a box to box midfielder who packs quite a punch. His ability to win the ball in midfield, while still posing as a scoring threat is what makes him such a valuable commodity.

Source: Sport.detik.com 

If he were to miss out on Strootman, Feyenoord’s young architect, Jordy Clasie, could be considered a consolation prize. The two play a very similar style, although the latter lacks the same physical presence. The 22-year-old has always been considered one of the smartest players on the pitch, and nearly every Feyenoord attack starts at his feet. This is the creativity United have not had in midfield in quite a while.

At the back, Van Gaal needs to replace both Ferdinand and Vidic. Enter Joel Veltman. The 22-year-old Ajax defender was an integral part of the club’s fourth consecutive title capture. After injuries de-railed his first couple of seasons in Amsterdam, the centre back caused quite a stir this year with his innate play in defence, drawing plenty of comparisons to former Ajax defenders Jaap Stam and Jan Vertonghen.

The question still remains, however, whether or not Veltman is prepared to take the next step. Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, all past Ajax graduates at the position, spent at least four full seasons with the senior team before moving on. Veltman, although he appears ready to take on new challenges, finished just his first full season at the Amsterdam ArenA as a result of injuries early in his career.

Source: Ajax.nl

Van Gaal certainly doesn’t seem to mind. He awarded Veltman’s strong play with his first ever cap for the national team, and named him in Holland’s 30-man provisional squad for the upcoming World Cup. If Veltman opts to stay in Ajax and continue to develop, there are plenty of other options. Stefan de Vrij and Bruno Martins Indi, both Feyenoord products, have become national team regulars under Van Gaal, and appear ready for a move to one of Europe’s top leagues.

One other name to keep an eye on is Arjen Robben. The storied Bayern winger looks set to move on from the club this summer, and with the Red Devils severely lacking on the wing, the speculation is justified. Van Gaal brought Robben to the Allianz Arena when he arrived in 2009, and made him a mainstay with the Netherlands U-20 and senior team. United fans can be 100 percent certain Van Gaal will not tolerate having Antonio Valencia as the club’s top winger.

Source: Spox.com

Other names to keep an eye on are Daryl Janmaat (right-back, Feyenoord), Daley Blind (left-back/central midfielder, Ajax) and Memphis Depay (left winger, PSV). All three of them are expected to be on Netherlands’ World Cup team this summer.

Of course Van Gaal’s transfer targets will not be limited to the Eredivisie. Luke Shaw, Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos and Edinson Cavani have all been linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer. The Dutchman will not shy away from a purchase if he believes it will help strengthen the club.

Van Gaal isn’t coming to make friends, but win trophies. His aggressive management style is exactly what Manchester United need to get back to their winning ways. He will have a large transfer budget to resurrect a decaying back line, instil creativity in midfield and play an attractive style of football the club was truly lacking under David Moyes.

By: Alex Moretto

@alexjmoretto on Twitter

A Season In Review

A Season In Review

It was a season none of us could have predicted. After nigh on 27 years of almost constant glory, Sir Alex Ferguson passed on the managerial baton to fellow Glaswegian David Moyes this time last year. Some fans had immediate reservations, with the absence of any trophies on his CV, taking over a squad overflowing with multiple titles and cups was considered cause for a concern. How would these players respond to authority from a man whose career achievements were so inferior to theirs?

Moyes didn't help himself, shunning the opportunity of working with the respected backroom staff already in place and, after failing to attract the marquee names the fans desired, ridiculously scrambling £27 million together in a fit of panic to sign Marouane Fellaini on deadline day. The general feeling, however, as the new season approached was one of positivity, boosted by an exciting pre-season where youngsters Jesse Lingard, Wilfried Zaha and Adnan Januzaj all excelled.

The season began well enough, after a routine 2-0 victory over Wigan in the Community Shield. Manchester United's first league game saw them pick up an outstanding 4-1 away win at Capital One Cup holders Swansea. Looking back, this was probably the peak of our season, we seemed to be playing in much the same way as we did under Fergie, inspiring the ‘Come on David Moyes (play like Fergie’s boys)’ chant so regularly heard coming from the United faithful in the early weeks of the season.

The following 0-0 home draw with Chelsea and 1-0 away defeat to bitter rivals Liverpool did little to dampen expectation, we played reasonably well in both games without creating enough to win them, unfortunately it was a sign of things to come. September saw the crushing 4-1 derby defeat to neighbours 
Manchester City and a demoralising 2-1 home defeat to West Brom in succession. There was no backlash but murmurings of discontent grew louder.

October and November in hindsight were quite good, with the 2-1 away victory at Sunderland while it may have been a poor display but it saw Januzaj announce himself globally with a stunning brace to seal the points for United. Moyes was rightly praised for giving the then 18-year-old his chance. The home draw with Southampton was disappointing but it was followed with a fine display and win away at Fulham and a determined 1-0 victory over high-flying Arsenal. In-between these league games it was coupled with the very good Champions League form United were showing, things started to look up for Moyes.

It didn't last long though as United lost successive home games 1-0, to Everton and Newcastle respectively, in December. The pressure on Moyes doubled, but many fans stuck by him, with Sir Alex's departing words of “Your job now is to stand by your new manager” no doubt ringing in many of our ears. January saw Moyes’ second, and final, dip in to the transfer market. Juan Mata signed making him Manchester United’s record signing at £37 million, while a player of such mercurial quality appeased fans slightly, it didn't address the deficiencies in the team, United needed a commanding midfielder, a centre-back, a left-back and possibly a winger, Moyes however signed another number 10.

For much of the rest of the season, the form wasn't so bad, it was just punctuated with horrendous results here and there, the 2-2 draw at home to Fulham and the 2-0 away defeat to Olympiakos (the worst United performance I've ever seen). The humiliating, tide turning 3-0 successive home defeats to our biggest rivals City and Liverpool last longer in the memory. There were good away wins at Palace, West Brom and West Ham. The tipping point finally came after another abject, passionless performance in a big game as Moyes oversaw a 2-0 defeat on his return to Goodison Park.

His sacking preceded the promotion of club legend Ryan Giggs to player/interim manager. This allowed United’s season to filter out in a bit of an inconsequential haze. United were 7^th, with four games to go and had no chance whatsoever of qualifying for the Champions League. The highlight of these games being the 3-1 win over Hull, with 18-year-old academy graduate James Wilson scoring twice on his professional debut and Januzaj confirming his progress with a virtuoso display. These games have helped the fans to gather excitement for next season, the projected arrival of Louis van Gaal as the new manager, a man with a clear philosophy and a proven track record, has been greeted almost universally positively by United fans.

It would be remiss of me not to finish with a reflection on some of the seasons highlights, it’s a brief reel but in a season of unforeseen lows there have still been some glorious highs. The most satisfying is the emergence of Adnan Januzaj, many of us who watched him at youth level knew he had the talent, but the way he has adapted to the step up will have surprised even his most ardent fans. The form of David de Gea against the backdrop of such a difficult season cannot be ignored, his improvement since that ‘difficult’ first season has been outstanding and he deservedly won both United’s fans and players’ player of the year awards. The best moment of the season was surely the 30 seconds or so of pure euphoria when Patrice Evra scored that wonder goal at the Allianz Arena, the memory burns brightest even though our lead was immediately extinguished by Mario Mandzukic’s equaliser. Finally, the 3-0 return leg victory over Olympiakos was a wonderful night, OT was rocking, van Persie scored a hat-trick and United played with an intensity scarcely seen this season.

So now it’s all over, the season United fans will most readily consign to history, all we can do is look forward to next season. Come on United!

@Talk_Futbol on Luke Shaw

@Talk_Futbol on Luke Shaw

I'm Max, from @Talk_Futbol. I have been a Southampton fan all my life, probably because of my Dad who also supports them and he took me to my first game when I was 5. I will be talking about Manchester United target, Luke Shaw, who I have been following since he was 16. 

Luke Shaw grew up in London as a Chelsea supporter. As early as the age of 8 years-old, Luke was desperate to play for the Blues, and after spending a short-period of time at the Chelsea development center, they decided not to offer young Luke a place in their academy. Southampton were then quick to react, bringing Luke to the south coast where he would play his football. Luke came through the Under 18 squad with the likes of Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, James Ward-Prowse and many other talents. Shortly after his 17th birthday, he actually captained the Under 21 side. Only two weeks later he came on as a substitute against West Bromwich Albion, and as a 17 year-old, I was shocked with how calm he looked on the ball. The following week, Luke made his full-debut at home to Swansea, I was in attendance that day and again I was truly shocked at how confident he looked, running at the Swansea defence at every opportunity. Luke quickly warmed to the home crowd, who at this point were already chanting his name. Luke became stronger, and stronger as the season went on, and people could see he was something special. His first season as a 17 year old was incredible, helping Southampton secure their place in the Premier League for another season.  

The Southampton squad went out to Spain and Austria during pre-season after a successful first season in the top flight, and on Luke's 18th birthday, he accepted a five-year deal, keeping him at the club until 2018. At the beginning of the 2013/14 season, Luke came back physically unbelievable, standing just shy of 6ft 2inches and built like a 28 year old, Luke looked in great shape to start the season. I've watched Luke play every game this season, and every week he impresses. The 18 year-old has an incredible amount of speed, he can recover within seconds and usually eases his man off with strength, Luke Shaw looked like the next big thing. Roy Hodgson (The England manager) spotted his talent and before even making a handful of appearances for the England u21 side, he was promoted to the first team where he made an impressive debut against Denmark at Wembley. After Luke finished the season on a high, he's attracted some of the scouts from the biggest clubs in the world to watch him play. Because of these, unbelievable performances for Southampton, he has just in the last few days been called up to England's World Cup squad, which for anyone of his age, is truly remarkable. 

It's been said that in the last few days, Manchester United have launched a £27 million bid for Luke Shaw. I personally, even for £30 million, would be devastated to see him leave. Some would say he's not worth that, and he's 'over-hyped' because he's English. As someone who watches Luke week in, and week out, I can tell you that is not true. I've not seen anyone this good at our club, ever. I watched 18 year-old Gareth Bale, who happened to play left-back, but was playing in the Championship. As an 18 year-old, Luke is in a different league to what Bale was. Luke has strength, pace like you wouldn't believe and can find a perfect balance between attacking and defending. A lot of people talk about how good he is at going forward, but rarely talk about how solid he is at the back; he's a superb tackler. I think Luke would be a perfect buy for Manchester United (As much as I hate to admit it). A world class left-back sorted for the next 10 years as a minimum.  

Rio Ferdinand - A Classy Centre Half

Rio Ferdinand - A Classy Centre Half

Yesterday, Rio Ferdinand announced that after 12 years he would be leaving Manchester United. His decision where to go is unknown as of yet, but he does seem keen to carry on playing. Rio has said this month that "I'm fit, healthy and I want to continue playing." A possible move to the MLS in the United States seems the most likeliest of moves, a final big pay day would attract most players to continue a year or two.

Rio came through the youth ranks of West Ham and made his Premier League debut in 1996. He made his British record move to Leeds (Yes that lot) for £18m in 2000 and he then made his £29.1m move to Manchester United in 2002 (Making him the world's most expensive defender). Throughout his 12 years at United he's lifted numerous amounts of trophies and collected various of medals. Rio over his tenure won 6 Premier League titles, 2 League Cups, 1 Champions League and 1 Club World Cup; he was also named in the PFA Team of the Year on 6 occasions.

Rio Ferdinand an elegant, calm and classy central defender - a few words that describes a man who in his prime was a arguably the best defender in the world. Rio in his best years even with his pace could use his brain to outsmart his opponent. Rarely would you see Rio make a last ditch tackle, he was always a step ahead of the game and it's that which makes him in my view Manchester United's greatest centre back. From signing at United in 2002, the amount of mistakes he made reduced more and more upon year, when it came to a point you would hardly remember something he done wrong in a season. His high level of consistency throughout his years at the club has been nothing short of fantastic and deserves to mentioned among the best centre backs of his generation - a man who made 455 appearances for the reds.

It was probably a surprise to see Rio get a year extension at the end of the 12/13 season, when most fans including myself thought it would be best for Rio to go out on high along with Scholes and Sir Alex as a winner. The timing of his retirement is surprising considering the fans can't say a proper goodbye to a player who served the club so well for 12 years. In my opinion, it's completely unprofessional and ridiculous to let Rio leave like this, pushed out the back door, when he should have had a similar (if not better) send off like Vida just recently. It's been reported in the past 48 hours that Woodward declared to Ferdinand in the dressing room after the Southampton game that he wouldn't be getting a new contract, truly embarrassing if true. Rio says in his statement that "Circumstances didn't allow for me to say goodbye the way I would have", which makes you believe the reports but antics this year may have also played apart (though it would be very petty from the club if so).

Ferdinand this year has rarely had a look in under Moyes, and seemed to fall out with him during the season. It has been widely reported that players at the club didn't like David Moyes' training methods, due to the amount of time spend on defending. It seemed from the outside that along with other players, Rio wasn't happy with the new manager and in turn the dressing lost faith eventually in the manager. It was also rumoured throughout the season that Moyes said to Rio to "Play more like Jagielka", someone who wouldn't lace Rio's boots is insulting. Ferdinand and Moyes' relationship never looked to blossom and only looked to deteriorate; Rio is reported to have leaked the Manchester United team to various media outlets. We may learn more about this year from Ferdinand's biography '#2sides' released on October 2nd.

Besides a drug ban, contract issues in 2005, questionable fashion sense and his twitter account Rio has been a fantastic Manchester United player. He leaves in my view as the best Manchester United Centre back of all time.

Cheers Rio!

Read Rio's statement below:

"I have thought long and hard over the last few months about my future and after 12 fantastic years playing for what I regard as the best club in the world I have decided the time is right for me to move on. I joined Manchester United in the hope of winning trophies and never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined how successful we would be during my time here. There have been so many highlights, playing alongside some great players who have become good friends, winning my first Premier League title and also that fantastic night in Moscow are memories that I will cherish forever. Circumstances didn't allow for me to say goodbye the way I would have liked but I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my team-mates, staff, the club and the fans for an unbelievable 12 years that I'll never forget."