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Louis Van Gaal has said that consistent victory for Manchester United is a thing of “the past”.
Manchester United waved goodbye to the Champions League this season after Tuesday night’s defeat to Wolfsburg. Van Gaal admitted feeling sorry for the exit but said that the expectations were rather too high and that there is no place for an out-dated belief that United must win the competition.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Van Gaal reflected on United fans’ expectations, saying "They say a club like Manchester United has to win. That's the past.”
“You have to analyse the club now. Now we have much more clubs who have money, also the structure and are able to win something.”
“Next year, all the clubs in the Premier League have a bigger budget than most in Europe. That makes a big difference. Every club can also buy a player. You think Manchester United has a lot of money – that is true. But other clubs are asking for much more from us than from Bournemouth.”
United are still in the Premier League title race, sitting three points below suprise league leaders Leicester City. Van Gaal will be looking for a better result than United’s drab 0-0 draw at home to West Ham, when they take on Bournemouth tonight.
The Red Devil fans, being used to winning ways and the thrills of exciting football, have come up with much criticism regarding the recent boring, defensive displays of football at Old Trafford. Comparisons have already been drawn between Sir Alex Ferguson and the kind of attacking football he practised with Van Gaal’s composed game of posession. Manchester United have gradually become the league’s most boring side. The days when they played out exciting games and had the tag of ‘Comeback Kings’ are long gone.
The Premier League is the most competitive league
Van Gaal spoke about the rise in competition in the Premier League. Referencing the lack of a gap in quality between sides, he said “The difference is not so big any more. The confirmation is every week. The bottom clubs can beat the top teams.”
“There is no other league where that happens as often as it does in the Premier League. It is very difficult for a Premier League club to match with the other leagues in the Champions League. It was not so easy for all the clubs to qualify themselves.”
But Van Gaal as always remains adamant that he is the perfect man for the Manchester United job. Having always had a pragmatic approach to football, he says United’s chances of going beyond the group stages were unrealistic. He said,
"You shall always say a club like Manchester United shall go further than the group stage. Okay. I think the same but the reality is that is not happening."
"I don't have any doubts. You can lose and you can win in sport, and you have to accept that, as a player and as a manager," he added.
"I have read already in the media that I am 64 and I am too old. I read the same things 20 years ago. I cannot change what is in your mind. I can only say the facts.”
