LOUIS VAN GAAL has revealed that in his early days he acted like a Klopp – often highly animated on the touch line just like his Liverpool counterpart.
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| Louis van Gaal faces of with Jurgen Klopp on Sunday as Manchester United visit Liverpool |
As he prepared to face Jurgen Klopp’s side at a fully charged Anfield the Manchester United boss offered a remarkable insight into why he is now turned into the stone faced, static man with a clip board at games.
Many United fans have called for more emotion on the side lines from their manager but Van Gaal is not for moving.
While Klopp will indulge in another antics road show to the delight of The Kop, Van Gaal will sit tight, treating the technical area as a no go zone. But that hasn’t always been the case.
“When I was younger I was like Klopp.”he said. “Now at 64 I can control my passion more.
“I don’t think the referees in England are influenced by what the manager or the fans do. Every manager has his own identity, his own personality and also his own philosophy.
“When I started my career I did that (Klopp like actions) also. But I don’t think you can influence from the touchline.”
Van Gaal says he aborted the touch line tantrums following the 1995 European Cup final in Vienna – one in which his young Ajax side beat Fabio Capello’s AC Milan 1-0.
He is often reminded of his enactment of a high kick right in the face of the fourth official as he complained bitterly about a penalty not being awarded for a similar assault on Jari Litmanen.
“The referee (Ion Craciunescu from Romania) who is now a UEFA controller remembers it when we meet.”he added.
“I did a high tackle (foot at the level of someone’s face) in the air because I showed the assistant what the player had done to Litmanen in the penalty area.
“It was a penalty but he did not whistle for a penalty so you cannot influence him, that is what I am saying.
“You need to control your passion and I know a lot of fans like a manager who is showing that but the effect is not so important than showing it. I am a little bit older also.”
But you imagine the adrenaline will be coursing through Van Gaal’s body a little quicker than normal when it quickly becomes apparent that The Iron Tulip has some unfinished business when it comes around to Herr Klopp.
Van Gaal was sacked by Bayern Munich in April 2011 – a season which saw Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund go on to win the Bundesliga.
Not that Van Gaal was prepared to admit the hurt of his final season in Germany.“
Asked whether that scenario constituted one of his biggest disappointments he retorted: “No, why? In this world you can always leave a club. It is not strange to leave a club.
“Borussia played a very aggressive pressing game the kind they are showing now with Liverpool. At that time the German teams were not used to that.
“He (Klopp) also had a very good squad because he had Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus and Mats Hummels who were in great shape. He had a very good, very aggressive squad.”
Van Gaal has won all three of his Premier League meetings against Liverpool and believes he has a potential match winner in Anthony Martial.
The 20-year-old French striker has been one of the Van Gaal signings who has lived up to his billing.
Van Gaal sees him as a potential Patrick Kluivert, the Dutch hit man who scored the winning goal as an 18-year-old in the 1995 European Cup final.
The United boss stated: “It's amazing he has played every game. I have to admit that I didn't expect that. It's a very big compliment to him.
“He can cope with the rhythm of the Premier League, because he is never injured. He can play every match. He has played every match when he was fit. And he can also cope with that pressure.
“I compare him with Patrick Kluivert. He has the physical body and plays in the striker's position, and Kluivert could also play in different positions. Kluivert was always playing at 18. He came in (as a substitute) in the Champions League and scored the goal in the final.”
And a younger Van Gaal went mental on the touchline.
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