Van Gaal vs. Mourinho: Breaking Down the Manchester United-Chelsea Dugout Battle
Chelsea and Manchester United come head-to-head this weekend, writing another chapter in the long rivalry between the clubs.
It's not exactly at the levels we have seen with Liverpool and United down the years—or indeed Chelsea and the Reds—but with the pair long fighting for top honours, it's a fixture that hasn't gone by without incident.
Just recently, in 2012/13, there was David Luiz's apparent simulation that led to Rafael being sent off at Old Trafford in a game Chelsea won 1-0. Earlier that season the Blues themselves had seen Branislav Ivanovic and Fernando Torres receive their marching orders in a feisty contest that finished 3-2 in United's favour.
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That game in October 2012 was tempered further after Javier Hernandez's winning goal appeared offside, and at the final whistle, referee Mark Clattenburg was accused of racially abusing John Obi Mikel—a charge he was later cleared of.
Throw in the pursuit of silverware and these games are always hotly contested, only this season it seems to be somewhat withdrawn.
Chelsea fans will gloat, suggesting it's because United are no longer a threat. The Old Trafford side already find themselves 10 points behind Chelsea in the title race and are going through a similar transition to what the Blues recently experienced prior to Mourinho's return.
Then there are the two managers who, ahead of kick-off on Sunday, have poured cold water on any potential rivalry between them in the dug out.
"Before the match and after the match he is one of my big friends in football and I will always be happy to see him. I’ve never hidden what I feel about him," said Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, per ChelseaFC.com.
Manchester United's manager has been equally complimentary of Mourinho.
"[Mourinho] is very special, but he is very special for me because I worked with him and we continued our relationship and that, in our football world, is not always normal," Van Gaal said on Friday, per BBC Sport.
"That's nice I think."
In the real world maybe, Louis. But this is Manchester United and Chelsea—we want to see some mud slinging, some one-upmanship. Where are the mind games Mourinho is so famed for?
It's all been a bit too polite, too civilised.
The root of it all is the working relationship to which Van Gaal earlier referred.
Unlike Arsene Wenger and Mourinho's other adversaries in Europe, let alone England, Van Gaal has had the opportunity to know the Chelsea boss at close quarters. He knows how he works, knows him as a man and not the caricature Mourinho has helped create in the media.
During the Dutchman's spell as Barcelona manager from 1997 to 2000, Mourinho was his assistant and the pair struck up a close bond that, on Friday's evidence, remains strong 14 years after their working relationship ended.
Van Gaal inherited Mourinho from Bobby Robson's regime at Barcelona—the English boss having taken him to Catalunya after they had worked together at Porto.
Mourinho proved influential in Barcelona's league title-winning campaigns of 1998 and 1999, but Van Gaal was equally a big presence in his development as a coach.
Indeed, with Mourinho mockingly referred to at Barca as "El Traductor"—or the Translator, in English—it was Van Gaal's belief in his abilities that helped him flourish.
"I sometimes think I was the only guy at the club who believed in Jose," the Manchester United boss has previously stated, per The Telegraph.
If that were the case, given everything his time spent at Barcelona has helped him to achieve, it's little wonder Mourinho is eager to call Van Gaal a friend.
"[Van Gaal] was important. He gave me a good opportunity to keep working at a high level," Mourinho said on Friday. "As a young coach to be working four consecutive years at a club like Barcelona, one with Mr Robson and three with Louis, was very important."
With his confrontational nature and acid tongue, Mourinho hasn't made a habit of being the most popular manager on the circuit.
The relationship between the pair makes for an anti-climax when they come together.
This isn't going to be the usual managerial rivalry we are used to seeing in the Premier League, especially on Mourinho's watch.
It's going to be a lot calmer than that. It will be like a warm-hearted war, almost.
On each side will be two managers whose careers have been defined by success. Both Van Gaal and Mourinho have showered trophies upon the clubs they have coached.
Between them they have won 14 league titles (seven apiece) in six different countries and a combined three Champions Leagues, not to mention a host of domestic cups.
Winning is what they do, and friend or foe, they will want to win come Sunday.
It's those characteristics that separate the great coaches from their peers.
"During the match I have no time, and for sure [Van Gaal] has no time, to look around and see who the opposition manager is," Mourinho added in his press conference ahead of travelling to Old Trafford.
It was a polite way of confirming what we all know—he has his mentor in his sights and he is determined to get one over on him.
When the referee's final whistle blows, however, it will be smiles and handshakes again—a time to reminisce on days gone by.
Interestingly, FA Cup draws aside, the next time these two clubs are scheduled to meet is in late April.
Right now United are lagging and their erratic form suggests a title challenge is beyond them this season, so the strain on the relationship of both managers is significantly reduced.
With more time together and maybe the odd lucrative signing in January for United, it isn't beyond the realms of possibility that the clash at Stamford Bridge could go some way to deciding where the title resides.
And should it, will we witness a similar truce between the pair?
The last time it was Van Gaal vs. Mourinho in a competitive fixture was the 2010 Champions League final between Bayern Munich and the latter's Inter Milan, and things did get a bit frosty.
When asked about their approach as managers, Van Gaal responded that his instincts were to attack and create entertaining football, while Mourinho's first instinct was "to defend," per Daily Mail.
In the same article, Mourinho's retort was measured.
"I know what he wants, but I don’t give it to him," he said.
Four years on, the pleasantries remain.
Right now we'll have to settle for the friendship, but is this the calm before the storm?
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Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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