Van Gaal Happy With United's Pre-season Plans

Louis van Gaal feels having a full input into Manchester United’s pre-season preparations, including Tour 2015, presented by Aon, will help stand the team in good stead for the new campaign.

Following the Netherlands’ progress to the latter stages of last year’s World Cup, the Reds boss arrived at the club just a few days before the team set off on tour to the United States last July.

Now almost a year into his reign as boss, van Gaal, famed for his attention to detail in every aspect of his role, has been able to plan the team’s pre-season preparations in exactly the way he feels can ensure the players hit the ground running come the start of 2015/16.

“I think that Manchester United has already adapted to a better preparation. We shall have two bases in the United States, so we are not flying between matches, we are going via bus [between some games] - that is better,” he revealed to reporters. “The temperature is better because we are on the other coast, as last year, so they [the club] have adapted to my criteria.”

Van Gaal was asked how he plans to go about closing the gap on champions-elect Chelsea, but the United boss insisted the gap is not as big as the Barclays Premier League table suggests.

“We started very badly this season but when you cut the start of it I think we shall match Chelsea, for example. You have seen our matches between the top league clubs - there is not a big gap, I don't think. You can judge that when the clubs are playing matches against each other.

“I think this year, okay, we are not challenging [for the title], but we are very close to the second position. Chelsea is far above the other clubs but that can be different next year. Next year we will have a different squad, not only us but teams like Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool - all the clubs who are battling for the first position.

“We have to start [the season] better,” he added. “When I preview our preparation now, it looks better, but we have to see how that is. We have to make the balance in our selection better, then we have to perform at the moment we need to. We have to perform better than this season.”