King Louis Van Gaal's Reign Over Manchester United

King Louis I

  In the beginning, Sir Alex Ferguson created a dynasty in the Red Kingdom of Manchester that was feared by many and revered by most!  For 27 years he reigned over a glorious empire filled with epic battles, superstar athletes, an untouchable record and most importantly 38 trophies delivered back to the Red Kingdom of Manchester!  Sir Alex Ferguson was the King of Manchester, with his accomplishments so great that they earned him knighthood from the Queen of England.  Manchester United are the Kings of English Football, and there is simply no disputing that!  As with any person in a position of such power, there inevitably comes the time when they decide that they have accomplished all that they had set forth to, and thus retire to the life of luxury afforded such a legend!

  Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to retire was not completely unexpected, though the timing of it was still quite a bit surprising.  What was actually shocking in the whole matter was that he personally hand picked his successor.  The Board of Directors felt he had earned the right to do so, and undoubtedly he had, so there was no disputing who would be making this monumental decision.  As it turned out, what did end up being disputed, for 11 months or so to be quite exact, was whom he chose as his successor.  Everybody knows the story of the supposed “Chosen One” so I will not even mention him nor go into any detail other than to say he was sacked with 4 games remaining in the 2013-14 season and 5 years left on his contract!  Louis Van Gaal, who was at the time managing the Dutch National Team in preparation for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, almost immediately emerged as the prime candidate to take over a club as big as Manchester United.  His prior success at European Super Powers Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Ajax only furthered his credentials and made him the likely choice.  He was announced as the new manager in June, and wasted no time once he lead the Netherlands to a 3^rd place finish in Brazil.  He arrived in Carrington no more than 3 days later to begin work as the new manager at Manchester United.  They were due to embark on their U.S. Summer Tour in a matter of days and many transfer deals were yet to be completed.  His first decision that may have ruffled some feathers was naming Wayne Rooney as his Captain over Robin van Persie who had been his Captain for the Netherlands in the World Cup.  
  Van Gaal knew he was starting behind the eight ball, and it definitely showed in the first month or two of the season but as he said, after 3 months you can judge my squad.  And just like he had said, by the Holiday season United started to turn a corner.  They then went on an unbeaten streak that saw them rise up the Premier League table quickly.  The United Board had made it clear that Champions League football was the main priority in his first season, and anything else would be cherry on the sundae.  Chelsea were so far out in front by February that the title seemed out of reach but after consecutive dominating wins over Tottenham and rivals Manchester City & Liverpool, Manchester United started to resemble the team fans were so used to seeing for those 27 years under Sir Alex.  Although we had a brief stumble and 3 game losing streak, we were able to finish the season with a win and a draw to clinch 4^th in the Premier League and a spot in the Qualifying stage of the UEFA Champions League next season.  Mission accomplished as far as the 2014-15 season was concerned but two consecutive seasons without silverware is not a common occurrence at Manchester United.  The goals for this coming season are obviously much higher, contending for trophies both in Europe and the Premier League, with King Louis having the entire summer to shape the squad around his philosophy and style of play.  He was adamant with Ed Woodward that all transfer dealings be completed before United depart for the United States again in July, which is just over 30 days away.  He wants nearly the entire squad on the plane so that they can prepare together and not have players arriving in-season like last season i.e. Falcao, DiMaria & Marcos Rojo.  Summer Tour and training leading up to the Premier League opener on August 8^th is the time for the players to build the camaraderie needed to make a run at the trophies they are expected to contend for.  There will not be any excuses this season.  King Louis will be given as much money as he needs to bring in just about any player he wants to fit the Manchester United philosophy and style of play so many around the world have come to know.  It’s going to be a crazy summer, but exciting nonetheless.  Hard to believe that the Premier League season starts on August 8^th, as King Louis’ 2^nd year reign will be here before we know it!!!  

"The Laughable, The Preposterous & The Wacky"

“Silly Season”

     With the 2015 Summer Transfer Window now upon us, it wasn’t until the past few days that I had actually heard this term silly season used to describe the window.  Quite honestly it did cause me to pause, re-read and then ultimately re-tweet the post that had me in hysterics.  It is such a brilliant description of what the transfer windows have become nowadays that I can only wish I had thought of it myself and thrown on a copyright just as quickly while I was at it.  As I was running some test recordings for my new blog that I’m starting last night, my rant lead me off into the direction of the transfer window and 99% of the garbage and bullshit that is associated with it on a daily basis.  In some ways I suppose it is flattering, knowing that we have a club that is so massive in size and popularity that these newspapers/tabloids/websites know that they can print just about anything during silly season and it will end up spreading like wildfire throughout not only England and Europe, but across the world without one shred of evidence to support any single piece of transfer gossip mentioned therein.  Part of my problem with the happenings of silly season are partially due to my own self proclaimed ignorance to exactly how things work in the media across the pond both in England and throughout Europe.  I am not going to give credence or credit to any one website in particular because for one: there are just too many to name, and 2: they exist not only in England but Spain, Germany, France etc.  Now I do understand the way that the Internet works and how valuable the advertising dollar can be, so website clicks and page views are really what any website is looking for in the end.  Sure they would love for you to come across that one teaser of an article that is so tantalizing absurd yet interesting nonetheless, that you suddenly add that particular site to your Bookmarks and make a point to check back on a daily basis just to see what other unbelievable transfer rumor may have been concocted overnight.  At this point they have you, “hook line and sinker!”

    The point I’m trying to make is that I was born and have been raised my entire life in the United States.  Journalistic integrity is still something looked upon with a great source of pride for the many phenomenal journalists that grace our websites and newspapers throughout the U.S.  With all 4 major sports in the States, each major outlet, whether it’s ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated, etc., all have a stable of fantastic journalists and writers with unbelievable sources and contacts.  When Adam Schefter goes live on an episode of SportsCenter, or sends a Tweet out via his Twitter account with breaking news of a possible trade or free-agent signing, you can rest assured knowing that he has the inside sources that know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this particular deal is done!

    So what does all of this have to do with Manchester United and the Barclays Premier League you ask?  Well as I said up above, I’m not going to give these sites even a mention due to the ludicrous rumors that they spread on a daily basis.  In fact, I probably would have never considered sitting down and writing my blog post on this particular topic if not for the most unbelievably outlandish “rumor” that Ed Woodward and Louis Van Gaal were preparing this unbelievable bid in upwards of $180+ million to lure not only Gareth Bale away from the Santiago Bernabeau but also bring United’s long lost son and legend, Cristiano Ronaldo, along with him!  Then as any die-hard Manchester United supporter would do, I clicked the link so that I could see just what kind of crazy article this would actually prove to be.  Now let’s get one thing straight here right off the bat.  Ronaldo has been, still is, and forever will be a LEGEND at Manchester United.  It was where he turned from a young boy into the superstar you see terrorizing La Liga opponent’s week in week out.  Cristiano will be the first person to thank Sir Alex Ferguson for being like a father to him and along with many of the clubs legends at the time, teaching him how the beautiful game is supposed to be played.  That is why every summer, once domestic leagues have ended and the transfer season begins, the inevitable “Will this finally be the year that Ronaldo comes home to Manchester United?”  Simply placing Ronaldo and Manchester United in the same sentence will garner your website millions upon millions of clicks and page views.  And 99% of us United supporters know not to believe any single bit of it.  Do you think Van Gaal and Ed Woodward would love to add Gareth Bale to their starting XI for next season?  The answer is obvious! And as far as Ronaldo is concerned, fans here in the United States have witness first hand what LeBron James has done since he left the Miami Heat to return to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers.  LeBron will be appearing in his 5^th straight NBA Finals come tip-off this coming Thursday evening.  In essence, if Ronaldo were to make a similar decision to return to Manchester, it would be met with so much fanfare that it would probably quadruple that of what LeBron did in returning to Ohio.  With football being the world’s biggest and most watched sport and Cristiano Ronaldo being the #1 or #1A player in the world, depending on where your allegiance lies between himself and Messi, CR7 deciding to return to Old Trafford would grace the cover of every newspaper and website worldwide! But enough about hopes, pipe dreams and wishing upon a lucky star, let’s finish with just why silly season has become just that: Silly!

    There is one English newspaper that I have downloaded on my iPhone and whose sports section I browse on a daily basis.  That would be the Daily Mail.  That’s not to say I don’t occasionally read something interesting from the Guardian or the Telegraph but the Daily Mail seems to catch my attention most of the time for one reason or another.  Many of you local fans in England would probably have a laugh at me for sounding so “touristy” like that with my choice of newspaper but it’s not for a lack of trying that I make that choice.  I just can’t stand that Manchester United seem to be linked with a different player ever other day and it gets to the point where it sounds so ridiculous that I just say to hell with it all, and simply wait for the official Twitter accounts to give me the information I need.  I’ve become so annoyed by the whole mess of nonsense that I finally decided that Mark Ogden and Jaime Jackson would be the only two credible journalists in England who I would follow and give any credence to.  If something during silly season is tweeted from either of the two, then it’s legitimate as far as I’m concerned.  Between those two and the official Twitter/Facebook accounts of the players and the clubs, that’s all of the truthful information I’ll need.  Never again will I read a ridiculous post of how United are going to sign Pele and Maradona is returning to Serie A.  I know that grand bit of sarcasm isn’t necessary but you get my point!  And to the rest of you whores of the page view and site click realm, I bid you adieu and good riddance!  Go find another sport’s street corner to turn your tricks!