Louis van Gaal sat down this week for his first extensive interview as Manchester United boss. Among the subjects touched upon were his reasons for taking the job, the squad he has inherited and the daunting task of trying to replicate the success of Sir Alex Ferguson. Here, Sportsmail brings you a full transcript of the interview with the man that United fans will be hoping can bring the glory days back to Old Trafford…
QUESTION: How much does it mean to you to be managing in the Barclays Premier League?
Louis van Gaal: 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.
There is only one football country I wanted to see inside and that was England, because of the level and the atmosphere and that was why I announced my intentions in October, so that all of the English clubs knew. I had more offers than just Manchester United.
How did you announce it?
In October I announced it. I said it 10 minutes before 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.
So was it a dream opportunity when Manchester United came to you in April?
I won’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 anymore, I know what I can do, but it’s fantastic because not any coach can work with the biggest clubs.
What do you need to work with a club of United’s size? What makes you a good fit for this club?
I have experience because I worked in Spain with the number one club, in Germany with the number one 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 take me. I don’t know, though, you’ll have to ask them.
Have you taken over at the best time? Are expectations lower after seventh place last season?
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 is broken, or that the confidence or something like that is wrong.
I had to follow Bobby Robson at Barcelona. He had won three titles. That was easier for me than now I think. 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 selection behind – so that was much more difficult than you think.
I was already asked in the ‘90s by Manchester United [if I would join them] because Ferguson wanted to quit at that time and then maybe I could succeed [him]. That was more easy at that time I think.
Did you come close in the 1990s? Did you have detailed conversations?
No, no no. Only rumours that he might quit.
You say ‘broken’, which is a strong word. How much does it take to fix it?
I don’t think it is a hard (strong) word because I think when you are seventh the selection at that time, (the team) is not happy and 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. 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 resistance (pressure). They have a to decide (what to do with the ball) within one second and that is not easy.
When you were at Barcelona you said you need an intelligent group who can adapt. Is there any concern that this group will not be able to adapt to your demands?
Every club where I have been, I have struggled for the first three months. After that, they know what I want: How I am as a human being and also a manager, because I am very direct. I say things as they are, so you have to adapt to that way of coaching. It’s not so easy.
And also the way I train and coach is in the brains and not the legs. You have seen my exercises with all the tactical arguments and not without the tactical arguments. I am not for running (for its own sake). I am for running with the ball but they like that (laughs) of course.
But the most important thing is they have to know why we do things and when they do, the football player is not playing intuitively. A lot of players here are playing intuitively and I want them to think and know why they do something.
That’s a process that is difficult at first and in the first three months. It takes time. When we survive the first three months, it will be the same as for me at Bayern.
In Bayern, after the first three months, we were sixth or seventh and we were third in the Champions League [group]. We had to win at Juventus and we won that game and that was the turning point.
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 does. 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 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 the direction of David Moyes are a lot of different to the players under the direction of Alex Ferguson, but also under the direction of me.
But we shall have to wait and see. But from the outside it is fair to say that. But I don’t want to be judging as an outsider. I want to hear that and feel that but at the moment they are doing great.
Is part of your challenge to build a squad at Manchester United to be successful for a few years not just one or two seasons?
That is always my philosophy. I’m not a coach who thinks short term. I am a coach who thinks always in the long term. The way you see Barcelona still playing with six players from my time because I gave a lot of chances to the youth players.
The structure and the culture of the club is Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Valdes and Motta. I also gave him his debut and he is playing in Paris St.Germain now, not a little club.
At Bayern Munich it was the same. You can see that in Muller, Alaba, Klose, that kind of player. So I am always for the long term not the short term. When I buy, I buy players for the long term, not the short term because I do respect the club a lot and also the other clubs.
Is that your preference? Is it better to win with your own players rather than have to buy players?
The argument for that is when you use youth players of the club they know the culture of the club and they want to defend that culture and wear that culture and transfer that culture.
When you buy a player from outside you have to wait and see and not every player will fulfil your expectation. It is much more difficult, also for the player.
What do you think of the challenge of having such a big club like 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 30 km 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 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 and opened it and closed it and now you have to knock at the door again and try and get back through it?
If you like to say that, then you have to write it down! I feel that he [looking round the table] likes to say that.
But that’s their view – that they are on top…
I have learnt the word ‘entice’. You are enticing me. I said ‘provoke’ but Ryan [Giggs] said it should be ‘entice.’
Are you looking forward to your managerial battle with Jose Mourinho?
No. I play against Chelsea. And not against Jose Mourinho. My team and his team are playing against each other.
But he is renowned for engaging in mind games with managers and players – will that provoke you?
No. He shall not do that with me.
But he’s already tried over Luke Shaw?
No. I’m not reacting to that kind of stuff.
Fergie’s legacy is daunting for anybody but because of your CV and experience are you undaunted by the scale of club etc?
The club are thinking that I am the man who can wear this legacy, so….
Are you not worried about being compared to Fergie?
Yes, but that doesn’t bother me. It is nice to be compared to such a class trainer. It’s nice when you do that and when you give me a positive compliment.
Have you met him yet?
No,I’m here in America.He is not
United fans are excited by the way you handled some of the Holland games in the World Cup? Changes of formations, changing of keepers for shoot-out etc?
It is also a little bit lucky when you do that! But of course you do those things for a good reason. Already I give this press conference with a lot of arguments [reasons] and I hope you can understand that.
We had a manager before who we had a lot of arguments with…..
I don’t mean arguments, I mean the reasons why. So it’s good that I explained that. I don’t have arguments with you – until now…. [laughs]
Sorry, we’ve got to go…
Interesting eh? Interesting. You’re all coaches now…..
