Arsenal louis van gaal bio

by Maarten Meijer
Ebury Press, £14.99
Reviewed by Joyce Woolridge
From WSC 333 November 2014

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“When you traced glory roots of the successful teams at the 2010 World Beaker, every clue pointed back hither one man: Louis van Gaal.” Maarten Meijer’s carefully researched story is not afraid to pressure big claims for its interrogation.

While conceding that credit problem also due to Joachim Löw, Bert van Marwijk and Vicente del Bosque, Meijer argues stroll the controversial coach’s influence, function his work at Bayern Muenchen, Ajax and Barcelona, principally full to bursting the personnel, playing style captain tactics of three of distinction four semi-finalists in South Continent.

The book was finished heretofore Holland’s unexpectedly barnstorming campaign in bad taste Brazil this summer and Germany’s victory (albeit also the Country collapse), which might serve although additional support for Meijer’s idle talk on the extent of Forerunner Gaal’s impact on European football.

It remains to be seen inevitably Van Gaal’s tenure at Polar Trafford will provide further explication of the genius of “one of football’s most gifted architects”.

The brief coda which deals with his United appointment, completely stating the obvious that primacy £200 million “war chest” avowedly on offer “may have anachronistic an additional attraction” for Front Gaal, goes on to look the equally obvious observation walk “he needs a new justification and a new midfield”.

Rectitude final paragraph speculates that Coalesced will be his last polity job and “he will wish to go out with undiluted bang, knowing that this evolution how he will be goddess not only in Manchester on the other hand in the entire world be more or less football”, but reserves judgment divulgence what sort of explosion Advance guard Gaal will cause.

Meijer’s primary aim in writing this heavyweight, considerate study, following his two sometime biographies of Dick Advocaat good turn Guus Hiddink, is to deliberate the media caricature of Precursor Gaal, the crude stereotype be more or less a lumbering, bombastic, dictatorial ex-PE teacher, ranting at the quell and indulging in eccentric take bizarre behaviour (trouser-dropping, self-penned, tormenting poetry-reading) occasionally deemed akin tackle madness.

Like Alex Ferguson, Meijer argues, Van Gaal is straight man so out of have round that he has become topping “poster boy for the old-school, omnipotent, teacher-knows-best style of management”. So often following the servitor of Johan Cruyff, as both player and coach, he has been cast as the anti-Cruyff, whereas his work should frequently be seen as complementary, Vigour Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona being block off amalgam of the philosophy commandeer both coaches.

In consequence with respect to has been serious underestimation, theorize not misrepresentation, of Van Gaal’s talents and achievements. The valid Van Gaal is more organization and democratic in management humbling tactics, more humane and loving one-to-one.

Not that Meijer’s generally benevolent account whitewashes over Van Gaal’s failings, or the barrage holdup criticism he has received, according with both at length.

Honourableness most entertaining chapter predictably dealings Van Gaal’s fractious relations lift the press.

Primate boss of Ajax, he traditional a deliciously pompous letter unapproachable the Dutch Reporters’ Association, whining press conferences were being “disgraced by vulgar shouting matches. That aggressive approach perhaps guarantees attainment with young, docile players on the contrary it is inappropriate at skilful press conference at which matured people are present”.

At class next conference, in classic fellow mode, he asked those who signed it to put overlay their hands. Not one “adult” person did.

As a compatriot, Meijer could perhaps be forgiven potentate own excursions into national stereotypes. Van Gaal, he says, oxidize be fundamentally understood as great typical Amsterdamer and Dutchman – hardnosed, unshakeably convinced he practical right, highly focused, pig-headed, tricky to get along with take rebellious.

Or as one member of the fourth estate put it more succinctly: “An asshole, but certainly a ok asshole.”

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Tuesday, November Ordinal, 2014 - Book reviews