• Premier League

Giggs: Van Gaal has Sir Alex's aura

ESPN staff
July 25, 2014
Van Gaal insists results always matter

Ryan Giggs says Louis van Gaal is already reminding him of Sir Alex Ferguson and is confident Manchester United's new manager can return the club to its former glories.

Van Gaal appears to already have had a positive impact on his squad with United storming to a 7-0 win against the LA Galaxy in his first game in charge.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has admitted Van Gaal has been quick to impress him in his brief stint at the club while Juan Mata has also lauded his training methods and style of play, with Giggs the latest to be captivated by the Dutchman.

"Yes, I do see similarities [with Ferguson]," Giggs said. "They both have an aura about them, but that comes from the success they have had.

"They demand that the players respond and they demand respect. In the short space of time I have worked with Louis, you can see why he has been a success. He is infectious.

"I think that's down to mentality, it's down to fitness and it's down to the decision-making of a manager. You have to have that if you are manager of Manchester United. You have to make decisions and you have to put them into practice.

"He wants everything right from the first minute of training to the last. Everything we are working from is the blueprint he sent over from the World Cup, every minute of every session is laid down.

"Just everything he does is clear and everyone gets it straight away. He has a unique way of putting it over and it's brilliant to see. It's quite simple, but if you make a mistake he will tell you and if you do something good he will tell you. He makes no bones about who you are.

Van Gaal didn't ask...he told me!

Louis van Gaal was all smiles as assistant Ryan Giggs dished out the instructions at the Rose Bowl © Getty Images
  • Ryan Giggs has revealed that Louis van Gaal didn't beat around the bush when it came to informing him if he still had a future at Manchester United.
  • "He was pretty direct about it," said Giggs. "It was after about half an hour of meeting him. He straight out asked - or did he tell me?! He might have told me actually!
  • "He just said: 'You're my assistant manager' - or 'I want you to be my assistant' - and I didn't think twice. It was obviously a tremendous opportunity for me to learn from one of the great managers and stay at the club and try to get better as a coach."

"It is perhaps a little bit different to what the players are used to, but it's a different manager with different ideas and a different philosophy."

Giggs also admitted United let themselves down last season in a dismal campaign that saw them finish seventh and fail to secure European football.

However, he challenged the defenders in Van Gaal's squad to rise to the challenge of stepping into the shoes of Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand - United's former rearguard who have now all left the club.

"There are players here who maybe think they didn't perform last season or could have done better," Giggs said. "They may think they should have been in the team and weren't, but they now have a chance to get in the team.

"There's no doubt that few players lived up to the standards of they are capable of last season, but they are not bad players. They are all good players and the way back for them has started already, in training. There is no time to waste.

"This is a great chance for the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans, with Rio and Vida going. It's a chance for them to go to the next level.

"We know they are quality players and they need to show it on a consistent basis. You hope they respond in a positive way. I'm sure they can't wait to get onto Old Trafford and produce the form they are all capable of."

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