The special bond between Robin van Persie & Louis van Gaal is good news for Manchester United

Coach Louis van Gaal (L), Robin van Persie (R) during day 2 of the training camp of The Netherlands

With all the talk of clear-outs and overhauls at Manchester United, in the wake of their worst season in a generation, it is has perhaps been overlooked that the deposed English champions boast some genuinely world-class players in their ranks.

On his day, when all is well in his world and he is fit and firing on all cylinders, Robin van Persie is perhaps chief among them, and a player with whom the incoming Louis van Gaal already has a fantastic relationship.

Van Persie’s first season at United was a spectacular success. Playing for Sir Alex Ferguson, and alongside serial winners such as Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, ensured that the ‘little boy’ inside him played with the exuberance and joyous abandon of youth. Happiness was etched on his face week after week, culminating in the realisation of the dream that led him to leave Arsenal: the lifting of the Premier League trophy.

Yet, it did not take long for the Golden Boot winner of the previous two seasons to appear less than enamoured with Ferguson’s successor. The Dutchman had chosen United for their proven success, and an integral part of that was Sir Alex himself. David Moyes had won nothing and, from a very early stage in the season, that little boy of the previous term appeared to morph into a sullen teenager.

It speaks volumes of Van Persie’s prodigious talent that, despite clearly being unhappy working under Moyes’ regime and spending large chunks of United’s dismal campaign on the treatment table, he nevertheless managed to rack up an impressive goal tally.

His body-language, however, told another story, and there was a constant stream of rumours suggesting that he would be departing come the summer, after just two seasons at the club. This was an unpalatable and depressing thought for United’s fans, who had rejoiced at his signing and revelled in his goals. To see him leave after such a short-lived romance would have been difficult to bear.

Then came Moyes’ sacking and a revitalised Robin returning from the wilderness to proclaim, to MUTV, that “We will be back,” even urging viewers to “save this interview.” The smile that beamed from his face was reminiscent of happier times, for him, for the club and for the fans, for whom his words, and the manner in which they were spoken, were manna from heaven.

Rumours abounded, at that time, of Louis van Gaal’s imminent appointment as Moyes’ successor, and the confidence and self-assurance that Van Persie exuded in his interview led many to believe that he knew something we did not.

With Van Gaal now confirmed as United coach, it is suddenly an exciting time to be Manchester United fan again, not least because of the mouth-watering prospect of a happy Van Persie once again leading the line with a spring in his step.

Van Persie has spoken of his ‘special’ bond with Van Gaal, telling The Sun: “I have never had a relationship with a coach like I have with Van Gaal” and going on to lavish Van Gaal’s training methods with praise. This is all a far cry from last season’s constant rumours of a discontented Robin van Persie, unhappy with David Moyes’ training regime, for which he felt was responsible for a return of the injuries that had blighted his early career.

It now looks highly probable that Van Persie will captain United, next season. Under Moyes it would almost certainly have been Wayne Rooney that did so. How Rooney reacts to, not just this, but the entire new set-up, will be fascinating. Rooney likes to be the main man; he likes to feel that no one is more important than him and that the team cannot function without him in it. This is, of course, absurd, but can only have been worsened by the sycophantic way in which Moyes pandered to the Liverpudlian during his spell at Old Trafford.

If, however, Rooney behaves like an adult, maturely accepting the new manager’s decisions and dedicating himself wholly in training, then United fans could be in for quite a treat next term. It is fair to say that the tantalising prospect of Rooney and Van Persie striking up a potent partnership has remained just that: a tantalising prospect. If next season sees them finally click, the Premier League should beware.

Seeing Robin van Persie looking so happy and content fills Manchester United fans with joy. He is that kind of player. When he’s miserable, it shows but, when the little boy inside him has a smile on his face and a song in his heart, it is impossible not to be infected by his optimism.