Van Gaal Calls Present Manchester United Squad “Broken”
Opeyemi Oladunjoye
Manchester United manager, Louis van Gaal has said that he is inheriting a “broken” squad and faces a far tougher task than David Moyes did, when he took over the winning side left behind by Sir Alex Ferguson.
When asked if directly succeeding Ferguson would have been harder, the Dutchman who is charged with reshaping a United side which finished seventh in the Premier League last season said: “I don’t agree. I had to follow Bobby Robson at Barcelona the year after he won three [cups] and there wasn’t a problem. When there is success you have a very good squad, and now I have to follow and the squad was broken, I think.”
Van Gaal also spoke about Jose Mourinho’s attempts at mind games, particularly his claim that Chelsea, couldn’t sign Luke Shaw as the player’s £100,000-a-week wage demands would have “killed” the club, declaring such strategies don’t interest him.
“I don’t think I will fall out with him. He is my friend,” he said. “I don’t think (I will fall out with) all the other managers. I have full respect for all my colleagues. For me (mind games) are not so interesting. I have to manage my club. That is already difficult enough. I am not concerned with other clubs or other managers.”
Stating why he tagged the United squad “Broken”, Van Gaal said: “When you look at the squad, there is quality. There is (Wayne) Rooney, (Robin) van Persie, (Javier) Hernandez, (Danny) Welbeck, but you also see Juan Mata, (Marouane) Fellaini, and you see (Ander) Herrera.
“There are a lot of players that can play in the same position. It is not in balance. It’s more difficult to succeed in a difficult situation than in a fantastic situation.”
He also claimed he felt privileged to be compared to Sir Alex Ferguson. “I highly respect Sir Alex because I don’t think there is another manager who has won so many titles,” van Gaal said. “I (have) won a lot of titles, but he did it in one club and that is fantastic and when you compare Sir Alex with me I am very proud.”
