Despite making 13 signings in his two years in charge, and having the likes of Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao and Bastian Schweinsteiger at his disposal, Louis van Gaal has said he didn’t get the players that he wanted during his time at Manchester United.
Having sacked David Moyes after less than a full season in charge, United turned to the eccentric Dutchman to turn around their fortunes, and to some degree, he was successful in doing so. He led the club back into the Champions League at the first time of asking, and secured the first trophy of the post Sir Alex Ferguson era.
However that is where the measure of his success must end, with United producing some truly mind numbingly boring football, as LVG focussed on keeping the ball, rather than actually doing anything with it.
He was sacked just days after guiding the club to glory in the FA Cup final in 2016, and despite two years passing, he has not lost the bitterness towards United vice-chairman Ed Woodward, who ultimately told the Dutchman that his services were no longer required:
“I asked many, many times for players of the highest quality. But I didn’t get the players I wanted,” van Gaal told the History channel.
“I’m disappointed in certain human beings at United — and they know I’m disappointed.
“I am an emotional guy, I say too much in interviews. I am always authentic. You see what you see with me.”
During his two year tenure at the club, Van Gaal brought in Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian, Angel di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Anthony Martial, Memphis Depay, Marcos Rojo, Sergio Romero, and Victor Valdes. Only seven of them remain at Old Trafford.