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Former Manchester United winger Jesse Lingard has named Louis van Gaal as the manager who came closest to replicating Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure in charge at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have spiraled since the latter's retirement in 2013.
They have won just three major trophies since then, the FA Cup in 2016 and the Europa League and the League Cup in 2017. Lingard was part of the squad that nosedived and the club went through five managers during that period.
Lingard left Manchester United as a free agent this past summer and joined Nottingham Forest. However, he has been interviewed about his time at Old Trafford. He was asked which manager came closest to bringing back the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson's reign. Lingard told British businessman Steve Bartlett:
“Probably Van Gaal. He has a structure. Everyone understood what he wanted. I love Van Gaal. Very tactical, everyone bought into that.”
Van Gaal was appointed Red Devils manager in 2014 following the sacking of David Moyes, who replaced Sir Alex Ferguson the year before. The Dutch coach arrived as one of Europe's most renowned coaches following tenures at Ajax and Bayern Munich.
Manchester United started life brightly under his tutelage, with a specific style of play that evaded the side under Moyes. He oversaw 54 wins, 24 draws and 25 defeats during his spell in charge. Lingard emerged into the United team at this time, featuring 41 times, scoring six goals and providing four assists.
However, his final campaign in the Old Trafford hot seat was littered with issues stemming from pressure growing on him with United stumbling. The Dutch coach led his side to the FA Cup in 2016, but he was sacked the next day after the Red Devils missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification on goal difference.
Former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick explains what he learned from Sir Alex Ferguson
Manchester United dominated the Premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson, winning it 13 times. The Scot also led the Red Devils to two UEFA Champions League trophies, the FA Cup five times and the League Cup on four occasions.
Many of his former players have become coaches, including Carrick, who is currently in charge of EFL Championship side Middlesbrough. The former United midfielder has impressed in the role, propelling Boro from 22nd into fourth place in the league table.
He explained what he learned while playing for Sir Alex Ferguson. The English coach said (via Manchester Evening News):
"I learned a lot from Sir Alex Ferguson in terms of chasing success and how he did it, and you can’t think about the end game too much. It’s wasting time and energy, we can only control what we can, and that’s hopefully three points on the weekend. Don’t think about the end of the story while the story is going on."
Carrick has earned plaudits for the attacking style of play he has implemented at the Riverside Stadium since his arrival in October. His side have won eight, drawn one, and lost three of their 12 fixtures.
