Opinion: Van Gaal Makes Strong Start

With pleasantries out of the way, it took just four minutes for Louis van Gaal to assert authority during his first press conference as Manchester United manager.

Having already answered a query about his expectations for the job and what he might achieve at Old Trafford, the Dutchman was asked whether Reds supporters could realistically hope to challenge for the title this season. It was a slight variation on the preceding topic, cleverly designed to prompt an ambitious soundbite that could have graced back pages across the nation.

But rather than bowing to pressure, or offering an expansion on his previous “I never give predictions” response, van Gaal flexed his psychological muscle with a short but effective retort: “That is always the question and that is what I have explained already.” Awkward silence fell upon the room, followed by a smattering of laughs from the back before normal service resumed. It was classic van Gaal, in control, and from that point onwards, every attending journalist knew exactly who was boss.

As you might expect, given the magnitude of the event, Thursday’s press conference was packed with various members of the sporting media, all jostling for positions, eager to document a new era in the history of English football’s most successful football club. In fact, with no less than an hour to go until kick-off, cameramen were hastily assembling tripods as photographers lay on the ground in search of angles, all dodging the reporters moving towards the front row. As one veteran United journalist noted, the “only trouble will be getting a word in edgeways with this lot who aren’t normally here.”

There was a palpable sense of excitement and anticipation, perhaps even nerves, as the clock ticked towards 3 o’clock and the manager’s allotted arrival. When he did enter the room, bang on time, a respectful silence fell. Louis van Gaal had finally arrived, donning a sharp grey suit and red club tie. After weeks of preparation, his reign - in the public eye at least - had begun. What followed was an unexpectedly touching tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton, whose presence on a stadium tour was clearly appreciated by the 62-year-old. “I have the age to have seen him playing so I know what he means for Manchester United and English football,” van Gaal explained, as the 1968 European Cup winner stood in the shadows, arms crossed while casting an eye over the room. “It was a great honour to do that with him.”

The boss then took questions from the floor, stating his intention to do his “utmost for the biggest club in the world” before discussing key topics such as the vacant captaincy, possible roles for the ‘Class of 1992’ and his widely reported two-day break following this summer’s adventure with the Netherlands at the World Cup. On that last note, his response was quite brilliant: “This is a big challenge, a big ambition for me. When there is a challenge like this, I never let it go. This is a holiday for me!”

What came across most prominently about van Gaal, at least for me, was his complete control of the room and surprisingly relaxed demeanour. Where have we seen that before? An honest confidence - not arrogance - underpinned every answer that was noticeably assembled in good time. At one point, a five-second pause followed a question about what he would consider a successful first season at Old Trafford. This didn’t appear to be him on the back foot, either. It was simply a method for formulating an accurate response to a query that was always accompanied by a frighteningly intense stare towards the inquisitor.

Another intriguing element was the Dutchman's clear desire to dismantle his reputation as a fearsome, autocratic leader who clashes with both players and reporters. This, as he claims, is a product of the media and the authoritative element of his character plays just a small part. “An autocratic and strong personality is not the same thing and a lot of people think it's the same,” he said. “I have a strong philosophy. Every year I've trained, it confirms this philosophy. Sir Alex Ferguson also had a strong philosophy and it was always affirming because he won a lot of titles. I hope I can do that as well.”

Whether he can replicate the glory years of Sir Alex remains to be seen in the coming weeks and months, regardless, you get the sense he'll do it his way. But if the van Gaal era remains as fascinating as his first press conference, Manchester United fans are in for a treat.

Credit: Manutd.com