Rene: We Are On A Mission

First-team coach Rene Meulensteen sat down with Inside United recently...

How would you describe your principle goal as a first-team coach at United?
It’s to help prepare the team as a squad and as individuals to guarantee the best possible chance for success in every game. That’s my challenge.

How far ahead are you and Mike Phelan planning as coaches? Days, weeks or longer?
We look at things in the shorter term when it comes to training, but of course we keep a close eye on the big challenges coming up. The most recent challenge was having Sunderland away on the Saturday and the FA Cup replay with Chelsea 48 hours later after the international break – that was a challenge in itself because you prepare for Sunderland then you’re straight into Chelsea. We always work hard before every game on each opponent and we also needed to look at our players and see how they were after the internationals and what recovery they needed. Of course, you’re always looking ahead, but my focus in the short-term is to work on making sure the everyday training routines are well planned and well executed.

How do you see football and coaching at the top level developing in the future?
Too many people are looking for an answer that is right in front of them. You can look back at how football has changed, and it has in terms of the environment being more professional nowadays and having fitter players. I think everyone’s executed all the systems out there, whether it be 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or whatever, but that’s not what makes the difference. The one factor that stands out through the years, going from Di Stefano, Puskas, Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Maradona through to Ronaldo and Messi and those types of players, is the fact that these are the ones who have that level of skill to make the difference. You then want to combine that with one and two-touch football similar to the way Barcelona play and their philosophy of high pressing and getting the ball forward quickly. So, to develop the players of the future you need to help them master the skills of the players mentioned and combine them with one and two-touch football. It’s then about using those skills at the right time in the right place.

Are you proud to see youngsters such as Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley putting into practice what you’ve been teaching them for years now?
Absolutely. As a club we can develop players who can be world class. That’s the level we operate on. The fact that Danny and Tom have come through the ranks and become England internationals is something to be really proud of. Players like Tom and Danny have been brought up on everything about this club, the history, the tradition… they are the heartbeat of the club.

What do you do when you have a player coming into the club already at the level of Robin van Persie? What can you do for him as a coach?
It’s such an exciting challenge when a player like Robin arrives. Our first job was to help make sure he settled in quickly. It was an advantage to us that we knew what sort of player he was. The biggest challenge for us was to, as quickly as possible, create an environment whereby Robin understood what the club is about, what the training is about and what the expectations are. It could not have gone any better – he’s been absolutely brilliant, and hopefully that will continue for the next two months and beyond.

What’s given you most satisfaction about the way United have performed this season?
I can tell you the biggest disappointment: losing to Madrid. We all know what happened at Old Trafford and what an impact that had on the remainder of the tie. That was very disappointing as I felt there was a strong belief in the squad that we could go all the way this season. Other than that, I can only be pleased at the way we have, after the massive disappointment of last season, bounced back and said to ourselves: ‘We’re going to do all we can to make sure this doesn’t happen again’. There has been a certain determination in our performances… I’ve sensed it in training as well. The players know we’re on a mission. We’re now at a stage where the end is coming into view and the challenge intensifies. We’re certainly very satisfied to be in the position we’re in and hopefully it can only get better because I think the players feel we need to not only win this trophy back but make a statement in the way we hopefully do it.

The players always talk about this being the most exciting time of the season. Is it the same for the coaching staff?
Absolutely. We will never forget what happened last season – there is nothing more disappointing for everyone involved when you work so hard to stand there empty-handed at the end of the season. I don’t want to feel like that ever again. That experience has an unbelievable after-effect. Everyone couldn’t wait to get started again this season. We are so fortunate to work for a club of this size and for a manager that has achieved so much and is still as hungry as he was before he won his first trophy, and that transmits itself to us and the players. The biggest lesson you can learn is that success in the past is not a guarantee for the future. If you take your eye off the ball and lose a trophy it hurts. You need to value the fact that every trophy, no matter what it is, is important, as is the feeling that goes with winning that trophy. That’s something that stays with you forever. That’s what we are all working towards achieving.