The right man at right time

It’s interesting. The reaction of many Reds to Louis van Gaal’s confirmation as our new boss has been the same as their reaction to David Moyes’ sacking: "About bloody time, too."

Even the deafest dogs on the street knew for the past fortnight that the Dutchman was a shoo-in, and I wrote in these pages within 48 hours of Moyes leaving that it would almost certainly be Louis.

But during lulls in proceedings, we have been fed rumours that Jose Mourinho was in with a late chance, that Ryan Giggs might still have got it, and even that Carlo Ancelotti had turned it down — none of which was true. Granted, Ed Woodward initially gave a very good impression of a man conducting a proper global search on an open-minded basis, but most of us didn’t believe it for a second, not least because the Van Gaal stories had started up long before Poor David’s defenestration.

One day we may discover, presumably in someone’s expensively-advanced autobiography, whether it is indeed true that United representatives met Van Gaal in Switzerland on the Friday after the Munich defeat to set the wheels in motion. Few fans would resist a chortle at United’s protestations during Sack Week that the club had been anxious not to act “behind the back” of Moyes. All football management changes get under way behind the backs of incumbents: let’s not pretend this is an ethical business, hey?

No, the only decision that genuinely appeared to be up for grabs was the one regarding Giggs and, by extension, the whole ‘Class of 92’ idea. Romantics had hoped the boys would be kept at Old Trafford en masse, as though guarantors of the faith, a Praetorian Guard bequeathed to the state by the departed Caesar Fergie.

Indeed, for about a week after Moyes’ sacking, an insurgency had been swelling, fuelled by ex-players and Fergie acolytes in the media which sought to bounce the boys into the top slots immediately.

Defeat to Sunderland, and several heavy no-nonsense briefings from the club suits, put paid to that soon enough. Within a further week, the betting men had swung the pendulum towards an outright Giggs departure, possibly in a cloud of sulphur. However emotional or irrational it may be, that prospect saddened many of us.

Giggs’ retention is obviously welcome news to most fans and probably ‘good for United’ in objective terms too. The biggest argument against Giggs staying, that it might encourage some unwelcome back-seat driving from Fergie, is easily debunked by the character of the incoming boss. Does anyone think such a notoriously arrogant and abrasive man, known for his single-minded autocratic ways, would endure any kind of interference no matter how second or third-hand, for a minute?

Poor David was not cut out for facing up to dressing room ‘characters’ and their behind-the-scenes shenanigans, whereas LVG eats this stuff for breakfast. Besides, I am told, the message was already made clear by LVG’s camp to United during the negotiations: “Fergie stays in his box.”

Even Fergiephiles accept this is how it now must be and, in any event, Alex’s political capital has been devastated by his role in the Moyes disaster.

Van Gaal has also had a stroke of luck in terms of Old Trafford politics in the departures of Nemaja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, possibly to be joined by Patrice Evra. These were big, mouthy dressing room beasts who might have been problematic and would certainly have required deft handling, which has not always been Van Gaal’s strongest suit.

We do want Van Gaal to be a bit of a bully and smack some spoilt arses, mind, but that type of tact works much better on the younger and less established. Van Gaal also gets to spend the mythical/legendary war chest this summer, which contains anywhere between €50m and €200m, depending on which made-up tabloid back page you believe. You know who the usual suspects are, and of all the names you’ve read I’d put most money on Luke Shaw, with a side bet on PSG’s Edinson Cavani.

Watch out, however, for a miffed Wayne Rooney being spotted in a departure lounge. Should Robin van Persie get the captaincy Moyes promised Wayne six weeks ago we might see some toys hurtling out of the Rooney pram. Local whisperers suggest Coleen wouldn’t be displeased with Paris. And Paris would be very pleased with her husband.

As for what kind of football to expect, we can certainly hope for a greater tactical sophistication than under Moyes, but be prepared for a slow start, too, judging by his history.

Many ask only that he repairs the damage, puts us back on the rails towards Europe and doesn’t bore us in the meantime. If he does those three things, he’ll be forgiven for any shortfall in the silverware department. Not least as, in some Reds’ eyes, he is merely a stopgap, making Old Trafford safe for a trained-up Giggs to take over in two or three seasons.

Too romantic? Back in 1997, at Barcelona, Van Gaal took another ambitious young man under his wing and gave him a head-start in the dressing room. A chap by the name of Mourinho. I believe he ended up doing quite well.

* Richard Kurt writes a weekly Manchester United column in the Terrace Talker section of the Irish Examiner.