While Manchester United players stood in fear of Sir Alex Ferguson’s ‘hairdryer’, under Louis van Gaal they can expect a four-pronged attack.
Vision, preparation, transparency and delegation are the Dutchman’s key principals which he outlined to an audience of business experts on stage at FC Twente’s stadium in Enschede before he steered the Netherlands to third place at the World Cup.
English and indeed the world’s media will hear more from Van Gaal later this afternoon in the 62-year-old’s first press conference as Old Trafford head honcho.
But should he give little away in English, here are the wily old manager’s thoughts on what United fans should get used to for the foreseeable future.
On his transparent approach to management when he first met the Dutch squad two years ago and said he would like the team to play like Barcelona or all-conquering Spain: “I showed them the Spanish national team, they play like that.
“The boys in my squad knew from day one what the vision of Van Gaal stood for. That was very important. I was clear to them. I made sure there was transparency. You always have to be transparent.”
On being a delegator, not a know-it-all: “I can’t do it on my own. Because I don’t know everything, do I? I know you start laughing, because I am portrayed continuously that I do know everything. I listen to specialists – do you listen to your employees? They produce your stuff.
“The coaches, these are my staff. If I go back to what I believe in: Preparation, training, analysis, evaluation, then it all comes down to the use of my organisation. I have 12 members of staff who are working for me, who are preparing, training, analysing and evaluating for me. I am the one who has to guide them, steer them in the right direction. Altogether, there are 37 people in my staff.
“When I became national coach, the whole world thought I was going to pick the players who had to get us to the World Cup. No – first the staff. I always first pick my staff. I have to surround myself with good staff. I always make sure that I have specialists in every department who advise me.”
On taking his mother’s advice to prepare, prepare, prepare: “My mum used to say that and she only went to primary school. But she knew that. You don’t think I would be standing here without preparing?”
On his perceived arrogance, which is actually anything but. It’s belief in a vision: “‘The national coach [me] sees opportunities because he believes in vision and structure. When I say that, I mean my vision and my structure.
“Yes, that is arrogant. I bet you hear that more, that people find me arrogant. It does not bother me. I am not arrogant. I do believe in my vision. So the people who work in my organisation have something to hold on to. That is what I believe in.”
Main image courtesy of onsoranje via YouTube, with thanks.
