Why Louis Van Gaal Will Need More Than One Season to Rebuild Manchester United

He came after a year of great turmoil. Having finished seventh in the league, the club looked lost, abandoned and without hope. It was never going to be easy; drastic measures were required.

Now, just a few months later, Louis van Gaal’s world looks different. After a long summer, Manchester United have finally made use of the opportunities the transfer window offered. Star players like Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao have come in, while signings like Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo have added depth, balance and poise.

During last weekend’s match against Queens Park Rangers, won 4-0 by the Red Devils, it seemed like the club had made a quantum leap. Gone were the bad memories from the David Moyes era, at least for a second. A wave of optimism swept through Old Trafford and made the fans hold their breath.

But while it might well be that the first phase of Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United restoration program is now underway, fans should be advised to take a step back and retain a clear and objective perspective on matters.

Even with this summer’s signings in mind, and considering his reputation, it should be remembered that it will take Van Gaal more than a year to rebuild the club.

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Difference in one year in the Manchester United starting XI. #MUFC pic.twitter.com/YMrh8ykcoI

— Manchester United FC (@MufcHub) September 16, 2014"

Why? Precisely because of this summer’s signings and the managerial methods that have made Van Gaal one of the most reputable managers in world football. 

During the transfer window, United brought in five new players, while 15 were sold, released or loaned out. That means the squad has seen a major overhaul. Considering the impact the likes of Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria have had on United’s style of play so far, it also means the first XI must change its tactics, its on-the-pitch behaviour, the manifestation of its identity. 

They way United often played under Moyes, with only two central midfielders and wingers who were forced to hug the touchline, frantically looking to make a cross, is now buried.

What we saw against Queens Park Rangers was much more fluid, dynamic and unpredictable. Players who were at the club last year, like Wayne Rooney and Jonny Evans, will have to get used to that. 

A look at Van Gaal’s past and track record makes it clear he always needs time. At Ajax, for example, it took him three years to win his first league title. At the Dutch national team, it took him a two-year-long process to build and perfect a team that was capable of reaching third place.

Sure, at clubs like Barcelona and Bayern Munich, his success was ruthlessly immediate. But those squads didn’t need rebuilding to the extent of his Ajax, Netherlands and Manchester United sides.

Switching from last year’s methods to the philosophy propagated by Van Gaal means Manchester United will have to go through a transition period. The Dutch boss’ ways are complex and can only be implemented after extensive training and lecturing. It simply won’t happen overnight. 

The club and the fans knew that when they got Van Gaal on board. While this weekend’s performance and the promise shown by the new signings so far understandably put rose-tinted spectacles on the faces of the fans, that simple fact will not change.

For United fans, the future now looks a little bit brighter than it did a couple of weeks ago. But they should not get their hopes up too high. Louis van Gaal will need more than one season to rebuild Manchester United. 

While the red side of Manchester is transforming into a different world, that hasn’t changed.