Quotes: Louis van Gaal

New Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is a charismatic figure with a penchant for the perfect soundbite. Here, we unearth past pearls of wisdom and praise from peers and former players…

The van Gaal philosophy…

On Manchester United… “It’s the biggest club in the world.”

On what sets him apart from other coaches… “The philosophy, I think. It’s the philosophy that binds players with trainer-coaches. In my career I have a lot of players who are fascinated by that philosophy. It is also very nice to take part in it because it is an attacking philosophy. It is a technical philosophy. And it is a tactical philosophy. You can show your qualities more than ever.”

On building a team… “You have to play as a team and not as an individual. That is why I am always looking at the vision, then the team, then who fits in that profile that I make from all positions in my system. If it is a young player who can do it then I will select him. If it is an old player, never mind, age is not important.”

On the van Gaal system… “It's a footballing philosophy more than a system. A system depends on the players you have. I played 4-3-3 with Ajax, 2-3-2-3 with Barcelona and I played 4-4-2 with AZ. I'm flexible. The philosophy stays the same though. The coach is the focal point of the team but you need to have an open mind, and so do all the players. Everyone needs to work together to achieve a common goal.”

On selecting a captain… “That is about characteristics. I choose the captain, I give them more responsibility so I have to admire him for his personality and his identity. My captains are very professional, very ambitious and also have an honest personality.”

On missing working with a club… “Every day [I miss it], every day. I was a teacher of physical education because of the communication with young people. Now [with the Dutch national team] I am not always committed with that purpose. You have only eight contacts with the players in a year. So working with players every day is something I miss.”

The game on van Gaal…

Ryan Giggs… "He has a brilliant reputation. He is a successful manager in different countries and has taken Holland to the World Cup. He has fantastic pedigree.”

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

Jari Litmanen… “He was sharp tactically. He paid attention to the tiny details, which gave us advantages in games. He was the perfect teacher. With him, we listened, we learned, we won.”

Michael Reiziger… "He's open to everybody – you can go to him with your problems and that's why he always works with big teams. It's one of the biggest things that you are open with your players and you are honest with them."

Arjen Robben… "I owe van Gaal a lot – he really helped me as a player. He shows faith in all of his players and that is one of the reasons why players want to play for him, why they like to play for him. There is something about going into a van Gaal dressing room and training sessions, there is a positive vibe and a warmth to the place."