5 biggest mistakes of Louis van Gaal's managerial career

Louis van GaalManchester United manager Louis Van Gaal is known for his no-nonsense and straightforward approach which has won him many admirers as well as landed him in a series of controversies. The Dutchman has done some pretty crazy stuff during his various managerial spell which includes dropping his trousers in front of Bayern Munich players to show that he has ‘what it takes’ and will drop anyone from the team, if he has to.Some of his comments have often led to situations where he has lived to regret them. For example; after taking charge of Manchester United, Van Gaal asked the press to judge him after a three-month period. Sadly for him, United were in a very poor position in the EPL and he admitted that he made a ‘stupid mistake’. But such things are not a big deal in comparison to some of the things he has done during his career.Here are five big mistakes that Louis van Gaal has made during his managerial career.

#1 Benching the Worlds Best Player and fighting the Spanish press

Rivaldo (L) and Louis van Gaal did not see eye to eye at Barcelona

In 1997, Van Gaal inherited a Barcelona side that won a cup treble under Bobby Robson. The Dutchman was joining the Catalan club after leading Ajax to two back-to-back Champions League finals and winning one title, while dominating the Eredivisie. He helped Barcelona to two league titles in his first two seasons, but his achievements were overshadowed by his fallout with Rivaldo and his poor relationship with the Spanish press.

In 1999, Rivaldo was at the peak of his career and also won the Ballon d’Or the same year. The Brazilian suggested to Van Gaal that he should play behind the striker and move from his usual left wing position. This did not go down well with Van Gaal and he benched the world’s best player at the time.

Rivaldo returned to the team quickly but didn’t have as good a season as he had earlier. The Spanish press constantly disapproved the Dutchman’s decision to bench Rivaldo. and when Van Gaal left Spain for the first time, the media celebrated his departure. This was also because of his arrogant attitude towards them and his failure to fully learn Catalan or Spanish. Upon his departure, he famously announced to the media: “Friends of the press, I am leaving. Congratulations.”

Van Gaal returned to Barcelona for a second spell in 2002 and he released Rivaldo, despite the Brazilian having a year left on his contract and having just recently helped Brazil to a World Cup win. Rivaldo said: “Van Gaal is the main cause of my departure. I don't like Van Gaal, and I am sure that he doesn't like me, either.”

Van Gaal replied that Rivaldo's lack of commitment was the reason he was released. Rivaldo joined AC Milan that season and won the Champions League while Van Gaal was sacked halfway through the season.

#2 Boasting about the Netherlands team and failing to qualify for the 2002 World Cup

Ireland players celebrate their famous win over Netherlands in 2001

After leaving Barcelona in 2000, Van Gaal took charge of the Netherlands National team who started their World Cup qualification campaign poorly. Van Gaal’ side managed to beat Andorra, Cyprus and Estonia, but despite leading Portugal 2-0 with seven minutes left to play, the Dutch let their lead slip and were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw.

At this point, they were behind second placed Ireland. The two sides were set to play in the next game at Dublin and before the game Van Gaal boasted that his side was so much more talented. He also claimed that even the the Irish fans would want them to qualify.

During the game, Ireland went down to 10 men in the 58th minute, but still scored nine minutes later and won the game 1-0. Netherlands fell seven points behind Ireland with two games remaining, meaning they couldn’t qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

Van Gaal stepped down as Netherlands manager soon after failing to lead them to the World Cup and he surely would have regretted his choice of words prior to the game against Ireland.

#3 Poor relationship with Johan Cruyff

Two highly influential Dutchmen – Louis van Gaal (L) and Johan Cruyff (R)

Johan Cruyff is probably one of the most respected and famous Dutchmen in the world of football, but one man has failed to have a good relationship with Cruyff and that’s Louis van Gaal. What annoys Cruyff is that Van Gaal managed two of the biggest loves of his life – Ajax and Barcelona – and that too successfully.

According to Van Gaal’s autobiography, the animosity began in 1989 when he hurriedly left a dinner at Cruyff’s house without thanking the host. Apparently, Van Gaal received a call informing him of the death of his sister, but Cruyff rejects the claim. A decade later, Van Gaal repeatedly irked Cruyff by undermining the latter’s managerial stint at Barcelona, with Van Gaal even saying: “I will never forget what he did”.

The enmity toned down over the years until 2011 when four of Ajax’s five advisory panel members went behind the back of the fifth advisory panel member, Johan Cruyff, to appoint Van Gaal as the new manager despite Cruyff’s protests. Cruyff responded by taking the matter to court and they ruled in his favour by overturning Van Gaal’s appointment.

Van Gaal’s poor relationship with Cruyff cost him the job and the former said: “Of course it hurt. People forget that Ajax is also part of my life.”

#4 Fall out with Ronald Koeman

Van Gaal and Koeman working together at Barcelona

After leaving Barcelona in between his second stint at the Catalan club, Van Gaal returned to Amsterdam. This time he joined Ajax as the technical director, replacing the outgoing Leo Beenhakker.

During this time, current Southampton manager Ronaldo Koeman was in charge of the club and Koeman won the double in his first season in charge of Ajax, but it soon became clear that Van Gaal wanted more involvement with the players than Beenhakker. Koeman had previously worked with Van Gaal at Barcelona when the latter was the manager there.

Tensions mounted when Ajax sold star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Juventus and his planned successor Arouna Kone failed his medical. Ajax lost their Champions League games against Juventus and Bayern Munich, after which Koeman openly clashed with Van Gaal, stating that the club’s expectations for his young and experienced squad were unrealistic.

The hostility between the two also affected the club’s performance. The relationship between the two Dutchmen did not improve after a string of poor results and in the end Van Gaal resigned stating that it was in the best interests of the club and had nothing to do with the results.

#5 Taking Barcelona close to the relegation zone

Van Gaal attending a press conference while he was Barcelona manager

Van Gaal returned to club management in 2002 after quitting as the manager of Netherlands in 2001. This time he returned to Barcelona after leaving them in 2000.

One of the first things he did was release Rivaldo, mainly because of the poor relationship the two shared during Van Gaal’s first spell as Barcelona manager. Van Gaal then replaced Rivaldo with Juan Riquelme, but Riquelme along with new signings Robert Enke and Gaizka Mendieta failed to impress at the Catalan club.

Barcelona lost three, drew four and won four of their opening eleven games in the league and followed this up with three back-to-back defeats against Real Sociedad, relegation threatened Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano.

Two wins and a draw improved things, but two more defeats on the trot to Valencia and Celta de Vigo put Barcelona in 12th place, just three points above relegation zone and 20 points behind leaders Sociedad.

Van Gaal’s attitude was questioned by the fans and media, and in the end he left the club by mutual consent in January, 2003.