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Louis Van Gaal appointed Man Utd manager.

Pinto

Active Member
Nov 1, 2004
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I would be pissed if we didn't reach out to a number of high profile guys to see what we could get. Seems like exactly what we should be doing. Not sure if Van Gaal is the answer but no harm in looking around.
 

Strikeb4ck

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2010
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I have a feeling Tim sherwood won't be manager regardless if he makes top four or not
I think if Sherwood gets us top 4 in a season where there are so many good teams, he has every right to keep the managerial role. Still early days though.
 

beats1

Well-Known Member
Feb 22, 2010
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If we make the CL and Sherwood is sacked, that would be an idiotic decision of the highest order.

So yeah...you're probably right.
I think if Sherwood gets us top 4 in a season where there are so many good teams, he has every right to keep the managerial role. Still early days though.
I don't think he will be sacked, I just think he want to go back upstairs and why not. Managers come and go directors get paid alot for less work lol
 

ackie

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Dec 29, 2005
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David Ginola said on canal plus yesterday that TS and Sir Les are doing their coaching badge (or whatever it's called). He seems to be very interested in managing a football team and if he succeed with us, meaning getting us top 4, I think that DL will trust him for another season.
Well 5 wins out of six is one of the best start for any manager...
 

ackie

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Dec 29, 2005
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The club needs and wants to finish in the top four and anything else will be a disappointment - Tim Sherwood.
I think he knows the target and has stated that DL won't be pleased with 5th.
So IMO if he gets top 4 then he will expect to be the Spurs Manager next season and no need for LVG
 

beats1

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Feb 22, 2010
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David Ginola said on canal plus yesterday that TS and Sir Les are doing their coaching badge (or whatever it's called). He seems to be very interested in managing a football team and if he succeed with us, meaning getting us top 4, I think that DL will trust him for another season.
Well 5 wins out of six is one of the best start for any manager...
Worth remembering though that he has to do that to finish the season
 

Danners9

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If we make the CL and Sherwood is sacked, that would be an idiotic decision of the highest order.

So yeah...you're probably right.
way back when it was first discussed, the Dutch press were talking about Sherwood being in charge this season and then learning under LVG next season and the one after.

That is neither a sacking or an idiotic decision, if anything it's a very good apprenticeship after a trial period. Sherwood seems the type of bloke who will recognise he can improve and learn from someone else.
 

Flashspur

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Jul 28, 2012
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David Ginola said on canal plus yesterday that TS and Sir Les are doing their coaching badge (or whatever it's called). He seems to be very interested in managing a football team and if he succeed with us, meaning getting us top 4, I think that DL will trust him for another season.
Well 5 wins out of six is one of the best start for any manager...

Jesus, if he cant get that out of this squad then he must be pretty useless. This is one of the best squads in the PL and half of them havent even been playing because of injuries etc - Lamela, Paulinho, Verts, Kaboul, Townsend etc.
 

beats1

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Feb 22, 2010
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Louis Van Gaal: Genius or Mad Man
250px-Louis_van_Gaal_2013.jpg

Managerial Career:
Ajax - 1991-1997 - Eredivisie 1994, 1995 and 1996, KNVB cup 1993, UEFA CL 1995, UEFA cup 1992 and Intercontinental cup 1995
Barcelona - 1997-2000 - La Liga 1998 and 1999, Copa Del ray 1998
Netherlands - 2000-2002 - Failed to qualify for World Cup
Barcelona - 2002-2003 - Barcelona's worst season ever but may of been the most important season ever
AZ - 2005-2009 - Eredivisie 2009
Bayern Munich - 2009-2011 - Bundesliga 2010 and Pokal cup 2010
Netherlands - 2012-2014 - Qualified for World cup, unbeaten with 9 wins and 1 draw(against Estonia :shifty:)

Also worked at Ajax in 2004 as technical director before he resigned after falling out with another member, don't need to say who:whistle:

Philosophy
He focuses on youth, if some of you think Tim Sherwood has been harsh to Capoue, well this man takes no shit and is the type of guy who will publicly say it and move the guy on. His focus on youth is unrivalled, he has I don't need tell you this as he may of been the biggest factor in two teams that won the CL one of which was very young. The
way that he makes his team play is different from your average dutch manager, he doesn't play a strict 433/diamond system, he does change the roles of the players that make it more like other formations like 3313 and 2323. He also does play other formations as well like 442, 4231 and etc.. The focus is on the team game, he doesn't give a shit about big name players if they aren't prepared to play like a team! Also interesting he says he always keeps one guy from the previous regime on his back room staff! Like Mourinho he selects the captains and he expects them to be very professional and a honest person but he wants a ambitious player as well. He very clearly states he picks the captain and not the team!

Attitude
Mourinho is famous for his style and has worked under alot of managers. If there was one manager from what I seen he is like from the people he has worked with its Van Gaal. Van Gaal is a Journo's nightmare and has been known to use a wide range of vocabulary;) during his press conferences. If you want entertainment then this man will give you it and this has caused for a lot of hate from journo's. However his attitude to players is different and he works very well with youth players. However this attitude can ruffle a few feathers, as he doesn't care if a player is worth millions or fuck all, if he thinks that he is better for the team he will be selected. He has done this throughout his career and dropped huge names in the process. He doesn't care about age and will only select team players.

Relationships
Now I told you the good bits about Van Gaal in the attitudes bit and as you read in there he does have good relationships with youth players and older players if they cohere to his standards, heres what happens if they don't! His man management is said to be very bad, which is true with big players. When meeting the Bayern squad, he announced his self in a Cloughie esque way and said I have the balls the to drop any player here. He then went on to drop his trousers and show them he had the balls:ROFLMAO:.

However as you read you will notice he will have alot of dressing room disputes and it is said that he often leaves players in tears. Also internal conflict is a norm under Van Gaal his relationship with the DOF got him sacked at bayern, and at ajax its unsurprising he fell out with people behind the scenes when he was Technical Director. But here is some quotes about playing under Van Gaal:
"Van Gaal is the Hitler of the Brazilian players, is arrogant, proud and has a problem. He has no idea of football. His type is sick, he's crazy."
- Giovanni

"I haven't had fun on the pitch once under van Gaal. I had had more than enough of it."
- Franck Ribery

Career
Ajax 1991 - 1997

At Ajax he probably built one of the most amazing teams in recent history to win the CL. His career was made from his results and trophy haul whilst here. It is worth noting that he doesn't have the typical ajax model. Cruyff's philosophy is more built around one player or two players(actually 1 and half but I would have to explain a whole load of shit) and the individual, Van Gaal focuses his style on the team and he himself is known to have a huge ego and full of himself. You can see this in any of his press conference, I always thought Mourinho was unique to our era(I know cloughie was similar) but after seeing Van Gaal I can see where he gets it from, to be honest he has taken alot. Now Van Gaal came in to the club which Cruyff runs pretty much and threw out the 1 and half player idea and basically said there are no more big players and this is a team. He is the big personality and big player in the team. Anyway he did very well at Ajax and won the CL with a very young team with some experience.

Heres the team he beat that famous Milan team with:
Van Der Sar (24)
Reiziger (22) Blind (33) Rijkaard (32) De Boer (24)
Davids (22) Seedorf (19)
Litmanen (24)
George (24) --------- Overmars (22)
De Boer (24)​
Subs: Kluivert (18) and Kanu (18):cautious:

With only 2 players in their over the age of 25 beating the team that just killed the dream team the season before, is some achievement. They made the CL final again but this lost to Juventus but worth noting that the team had lost Seedorf, Rijkaard(retired) and Overmars(was injured and missed the final). He did however introduce new younger players to the team like Musampa (18) and Wooter (19). Note these ages are not the age at the start of the season but the end!

He then finished at Ajax and had earned himself a knighthood at the end of it.

Barcelona 1997-2000
Now at Barcelona he did well on paper but it wasn't smooth sailing. The issues with his personality became apparent at barcelona. The press hated him here and he would also fall out with the big players! At Barca he didn't use the 433/343 formation he used at ajax but chose to go with a 2-3-2-3 formation. He played 3 players up front and this is where the issues in the dressing room started. He played Rivaldo on the left whereas Rivaldo wanted to play in the middle. There were other issues with him trying to implement his philosophy at the club and was struggling to do this. Also the fact he brought 8 dutch players probably didn't help the dressing room.

He did win two la ligas and a copa del ray but despite this, it isn't considered a great time due to the conflicts above and his failure to win CL. In his first 2 seasons in the CL, Barcelona got knocked out at the group stage, losing out to Newcastle, Dynamo Kyiv and PSV, and in the second season to the finalists Bayern Munich and Manchester United. In his final season he did make the semi final but then lost to Valencia who made it to a all spanish final with Real Madrid. The lack of CL led to his Resignation.

This was his system that won the league:
Hesp
Reiziger-----Bogarde
Ferrer---------Celades----------Sergi
Guardiola----Enrique--
--
Figo----------------------Rivaldo
Anderson
However despite the negativity from the spanish press and what he did probably changed barca in the biggest way. Barcelona B wasn't the great source of players it is now but in his two spells he did changed the way Barca think in a huge way.

Netherlands 2000-2002
Well this was nothing short of a disaster, he had a good team but it all blew up. Everyone who follows international football knows that there is always a fight in that dressing room. Interesting that internal conflict was so bad considering he gave alot of the players their debuts. Anyway they lost out in qualifying to Mick McCarthy's ROI team and Portugal, the team did largely include his Ajax team which made the terrible form even more crazy. This is the team that he could of played and it should of been in the world cup:
Van Der Saar
Reiziger--Melchiot---Stam--De Boer--
Cocu
Seedorf ---- Davids
Zendon ------------- Overmars
Kluivert​

Barcelona 2002-2003
Well we're back here again. To describe this season in one word, disaster, would be quiet fitting. He had the worst start to a barca season ever and was 3 points from the relegation zone when he left. However to some this is remembered as a important season. Van Gaal said during his time at Barca said that he dreams that one day the team would be full of players from La Masia. Well ten years after he left his dream came true more interesting is during that period he turned changed the culture of Barca. He gave debuts to players despite the first team being knocked out of CL and Barca B struggling. Unlike managers before he gave the youth players a opportunity to perform in the first team. Since then Barca B players often get playing time in the first team despite being very competitive at the highest level.

He also got the youth teams training with the first team and kept a interest in the youth team. There is one video of him talking to Alba when he was a kid and asking him where he played and etc. during a dinner. His good work with young players may have to do with the fact he use to be a PE teacher before he went in to management. Anyway that team which consisted of 11 La Masia players four of them last year 4 of them, (Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol and Valdes) were given their debuts under Van Gaal. As well as them, other players were promoted like Reina, Motta, Gabri and more. Worth noting that when he left he was labelled as a failure and this is considered as the dark ages in barca's history, also there was even more falling out behind the scenes as well during his time there.

AZ 2005-2009
AZ isn't a big club in the Netherlands and had a 8,000 seat stadium when he joined them and were moving to a 17,000 seat stadium. It is fair to say he did do a great job. They had only won the Eredivisie once before he joined them. In his first season, he managed to take AZ to a 2nd place finish, they lost to Groningen in the play offs for the CL spot and lost to Real Betis in the Round of 32 in the Uefa cup.

The next season they were in the run for the title and with one game to go, AZ were leading the Eredivisie by goal difference. In their last game they lost 3-2 to Excelsior(who finished in the relegation play off spot). PSV won the title after winning 5-1 and having a better goal difference of one goal than Ajax. Had AZ won their match they would of had a even better goal difference than both of them. Its worth noting that Ajax and PSV teams included the likes of Sneijder, Huntelaar, Affelay, Babbel, Farfan, Alex, Cocu, Kluivert, Kone, Heitinga, Vermaelen, Davids and Emanuelson. They then lost to Ajax by penalties in the KNVB cup and then lost the play off for the CL to ajax once again. They also lost to Werder Bremen in the quarter finals of the Uefa cup after beating Newcastle, Fenerbache and finished above seville and Braga in the group stage.

The next season was a disappointment and the results didn't go their way and the club got was out of the Uefa cup and KNVB cup in the early rounds. They did sell two of their best strikers who got 55 goals between them and didn't replace them straight away(thats not going to happen with us though:D). Louis Van Gaal during the season handed in his resignation and said he will leave at the end of the season. There was uproar from the squad and he said. he would change his decision and give the players a chance to prove themselves. The next season was a different story, AZ for the second time in their history, won the Eredivisie after having finished 11th the season before. They had gone in a run of 28 games unbeaten after losing their first 2 matches and went 11 games without conceding a goal. The Ajax team also included Vermaelen, Vertonghen, Anita, Van Der Weil, Alderweireld and Suarez. This was his 442 team for AZ that won the title:

Romero (22)

Swerts (26) Jaliens (30) Moisander (23) Pocagnali (21)

Schaars (25) De Zeeuw (25) Da Silva (26) Martens (24)

Dembele (21) El Hamdaoui (24)
It is also worthing noting these words from Louis, the season before he won the league; "We only have a budget of 16 millions euros, compared with 65 million for Ajax and 60 million for PSV, but we have been in the top three the last two seasons and we got to the final of the cup, which we only lost on penalties. The president is a wealthy man but he doesn't want to bump up the budget for the sake of just spending more. Money isn't the be all and end all"

Bayern Munich 2009-2011
He then went back to a big club again and had a big impact, now at bayern there was always going to be big personalities in the dressing room. The first season was nearly their greatest ever but they didn't have the best start. Luca Toni who was one of their best players the season before, he was sold after falling out with Van Gaal. They then gained form and looked to do a historic treble, they won both the league and Pokal cup. In the champions league they beat Man Utd in the quarters and Lyon easily in the semi's. They lost to Mourinho's inter in the final and it is worth noting that the squad wasn't as strong as it is today and Ribery was suspended for the final. This was the team in the final:

Butt
-- Lahm --- Van Buytan -- Demichelis --- Badstuber
Van Bommel -- Schweinsteiger
Robben ----------- Muller ------------ Altintop
Olic
The next season was a disappointment on all fronts, the league results started to disappoint and after losing to Dortmund in the league, they were 16 points off the title in february and had also lost in the Pokal cup to Schalke in the semi final. He also fell out with Ribery during this season and had internal conflicts within the hierarchy. It was announced after the defeat to Hannover that his contract was going to be canceled at the end of the season. A week after the announcement they were knocked out of the CL by Inter Milan on away goals in 2, having led the tie with 1 away goal. Then in april he was sacked, after 3 wins and a draw since the announcement of his contract being cancelled.

Once again the youth was major feature in the sides, with Muller making a meteoric rise during the first season and other players who are in the side today were given debuts or alot of game time. Players like Badstuber, Alaba(who converted to a LB), Kroos and Contento. It is also worth noting that he had converted Schweinsteger in to a defensive midfielder where he has since stayed.

Netherlands 2012-
There is no point in saying much other than they qualified unbeaten and won all their matches except for a draw against Estonia. They are playing alot of young players and playing the old guard with VDV set to become the most capped outfield player if he plays the next 4 games.

Will he be a good fit, depends will he fight with Sherwood, Baldini and Levy? I can see him getting on well with Sherwood(if he goes back to old role) and for me the issue would be whether he can get on with Baldini and Levy. Another issue is, if the players aren't getting his methods then, who will Levy pick a old manager who will likely have only two years on his contract or his investment. We don't seem to have major personalties or egos other than Ade but its worth noting he worked well under Mourinho. We don't have a Van Gaal captain imo other than dawson but even then, is he it? Worth noting that his philosophy is close to AVB in THEORY. However Van Gaal has implemented it and has had good defensive records and scored a shitload of goals at the SAME time.

If anything doesn't make sense, just highlight and I will correct it, as I'm not reading this shit again, its too fucking long. I gone beyond fucking wikipedia here for you wankers;), you're lucky nasser hussain sounds so boring otherwise i wouldn't of finished this shit. As a parting gift here are some famous quotes by the mad man or about him:
"Van Gaal really has Alzheimer's if he writes stuff like that. You wonder whether he has one or two screws loose."
- Johan Cruyff

"When executed properly it is winning football,"
Bielsa

"My jaw dropped when I saw Van Gaal's Ajax play, They did everything a football team should do perfectly in my eyes."
Guardiola


"He's open to other ideas, but they must understand he won't budge."
Frank de Boer
"Am I this brilliant or are you the one who is that stupid?"
- Reaction to an 'ignorant' question from a journalist

"The Bavarian attitude to life suits me perfectly. Why? [Bayern Munich's club motto is] 'Mia san mia,’ 'We are who we are' and I am who I am: confident, arrogant, dominant, honest, hard-working and innovative."
At his first press conference as Bayern Munich coach


"If we can strengthen our squad, we'll buy. But I'm not the kind of coach who just goes out and buys for the sake of it. I'm a coach who wants to - and can - improve players."
On his philosophyas a coach
"Running is for animals. You need a brain and a ball for football."
On his basic approach to the game

"I have the body of a God. Lederhosen suit me. But I also have a belly."
With a hint of irony ahead of one of Bayern Munich's now traditional visits to the Oktoberfest
"If I were a God, I would win everything. I'm no God."
On his irony and himself
"If another coach were to come in, whose record can compare with mine? Who would need to come? [Sir Alex] Ferguson has won more titles than me. Maybe [Fabio] Capello too. But they’re both busy."
During a time of crisis at Bayern Munich
"I hope the level of desire is greater than their fatigue. But the body isn't as strong as the spirit. And we have some wimps."
On his players' physical condition
 

EastLondonYid

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2010
7,837
16,145
Great interesting CV....

now here is Tims ..


Been manager for 8 games ...played 4-4-2 for 7 and 4-5-1 yesterday..:D
 

Danners9

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Mar 30, 2004
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It is telling that some players don't like him. Says more about them than him, I think. Ribery was inconsistent before finally focusing at Bayern, and even then he was in trouble off the field. You need players that see the vision, not just want to mess around.

He used to be a PE teacher before moving into football, I guess that shows in his approach. He also made Guardiola (aged 27) his captain, gave Xavi and Iniesta their debuts, and then made Puyol captain. Look how that worked out. He also promoted Thomas Muller, Badstuber and Alaba from U19/21 to the first team at Bayern (after asking the youth coaches who were the ones they had high hopes for). Schweinsteiger was a left winger and VG moved him to centre mid where he has excelled.
 

Dharmabum

Well-Known Member
Aug 16, 2003
8,274
12,242


He's got an impressive record as a head coach but as I and others have pointed out, his personality is the big question mark and not his knowledge of the game...


Van Gaal sounded out for Spurs job
January 19, 2014


JaBy Kevin Palmer

Louis van Gaal confirmed he was sounded out by Tottenham about the possibility of succeeding Andre Villas-Boas last month, while revealing he has a long-standing ambition to work in the Premier League.


Van Gaal will lead his native Holland into next summer’s World Cup finals and insisted he could not consider a job share with Spurs in the second half of this season as his focus is trained on preparations for Brazil 2014.

“Everybody knows that and I can admit it,” he said when asked by Sky Sports whether he had held talks about becoming Tottenham boss last month.

“I don’t do things in double [two jobs at once]. You have to give an example to your players that they have to focus on the national team and that is my ambition also.

“I have refused [Tottenham job], but maybe there will come another chance. That is the difficulty with coaching. When you are free, then maybe there are no vacancies.

“When you are working, then there are vacancies. It is always difficult. After the World Cup I shall retire or, if there is a Premier League club, I shall think about it.

On working in the Premier League he added. “I want to work in the Premier League. It is the only league I have not worked in yet.

“I worked in Spain and Germany and I also want to try and coach here [in England]. I think Spain, Germany and England are the three strongest competition, so this is an ambition. Who knows.”

Spurs are currently thriving under the management of Tim Sherwood, the novice coach admitted he needed to secure a top four finish in the Premier League this season to hang onto the job for the long-term.


 

tototoner

Staying Alert
Mar 21, 2004
29,387
34,059
No thanks, more than happy with Sherwood over this megalomaniac

If he wants to retire in the summer it would only be a short term deal anyway and we need stability.

Levy has found a very good coach, motivater and leader in Sherwood, support him,
 
D

Deleted member 26368

Bit of a dilemma for us lot, eh? Nothing like a bit of shameless flirting in the media to get the conjecture mill up and running on a Monday. Here's my own slice of BS based on not a lot of fact at all.

Can't argue with Timmy's start.

Can't argue with LVG's record.

If I were a betting man: We'll finish fifth, TS will be thanked kindly and handed his P45. LVG will come on board, and I will post something on SC along the lines of 'I told you so.'
 

tototoner

Staying Alert
Mar 21, 2004
29,387
34,059
Bit of a dilemma for us lot, eh? Nothing like a bit of shameless flirting in the media to get the conjecture mill up and running on a Monday. Here's my own slice of BS based on not a lot of fact at all.

Can't argue with Timmy's start.

Can't argue with LVG's record.

If I were a betting man: We'll finish fifth, TS will be thanked kindly and handed his P45. LVG will come on board, and I will post something on SC along the lines of 'I told you so.'

And the club would move backwards again, but then again that's what we do
 

hodsgod

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2012
4,241
3,082
Bit of a dilemma for us lot, eh? Nothing like a bit of shameless flirting in the media to get the conjecture mill up and running on a Monday. Here's my own slice of BS based on not a lot of fact at all.

Can't argue with Timmy's start.

Can't argue with LVG's record.

If I were a betting man: We'll finish fifth, TS will be thanked kindly and handed his P45. LVG will come on board, and I will post something on SC along the lines of 'I told you so.'

That's more or less what I expect. I am not expecting us to get top 4 and Tim will pay for it, if the right manager can be bought in.
 
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