Analysing Louis van Gaal's Speech at Manchester United Awards

Louis van Gaal's season at Manchester United can best be described as a qualified success. His speech at Tuesday evening's end-of-season awards ceremony, on the other hand, was a bona fide smash hit. The full transcript can be found on Mail Online thanks to Mike Keegan. (All quotes from the speech are courtesy of that piece.)

Reading it does it little justice, as the delivery was absolutely key to the experience. It was delivered with passion and fervour, with full commitment. 

Van Gaal took the stage after a long evening which was, to be kind, a little short on entertainment for fans watching on MUTV. 

The speech he delivered was well worth the wait. Part eccentric rallying cry, part outpouring of gratitude and part insistence on thanking a saxophonist, Van Gaal's reputation as a showman—earned by end-of-season speeches like this one at Bayern Munich—was clearly well deserved.

The overall effect of the speech was rousing for those in attendance, judging by the noise, and there was plenty of positive and excitable response on social media.

But what of the actual content? He began by expressing what appeared to be sincere gratitude for the fans' response to his difficult start.

"

When you start a season with 10 matches and 13 points and you are a manager of that club, the most world famous club and you play at home and I am also a human being and I have the experience with other clubs, when you have that result you are not very beloved by your fans and I came in the stadium of Old Trafford, 10 matches, 13 points and I came in and I saw by myself how I have to behave myself [Van Gaal mimed walking with his shoulders slumped and his head down] and then the public are applauding, standing up and I thought how is it possible that the fans are supporting me?

"

This is a theme he has returned to a few times this season. It is easy, as a United fan, to be self-congratulatory about this, but it is true that Van Gaal clearly values the unconditional support he has received.

He has begun to pay back that support—beating Liverpool home and away and Manchester City at Old Trafford will always endear you to United fans—but he and the fans know that better is needed next season.

After his apparently heartfelt gesture of appreciation, Van Gaal took some time to do some impromptu analysis of the season. It offered an insight into how he feels about the squad's development under his stewardship.

"

Then six games in a row we win and then we go to Chelsea. Who are the better team then?! It's easy to say that now in this room. I can believe it but it was the truth but we lost. We lost that game but can you imagine when you have 80% ball possession you have 10 big possibilities and they have three, they have three and they win the game.

When we win that game count the numbers of points we could have won because after that we lost three games in a row. But when you see that we have 13 points and Chelsea have 83 points and we could have been champions.

What I want to say to you, we are very close!

"

This statement, of course, opens Van Gaal up to accusations of papering over the cracks. Yes, United dominated possession and chance creation against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, but ultimately that was a game in which two managers set their sides up to compete in different ways.

A draw would have been perfectly adequate for Chelsea, and thus Mourinho set his side up to negate United's new-found strengths and hit on the counter-attack, exploiting their weaknesses. It was not pretty, but it was perfectly effective.

Ian Walton/Getty Images

However, Van Gaal's impassioned plea, the cry of "we are very close" was enlightening. It was the use of the present tense, rather than the past tense that was key.

He was not bemoaning any misfortune that might have befallen United, rather he was looking to the future, expressing his belief that his squad are now at a point where they are close to being able to compete seriously for the title. They might not be quite there, but they are "very close." 

He does, however, know that "close" is not good enough. He went on to say, "as a manager I know that if is not counting, it is not counting, we have to produce more."

He looked to be finishing on a more prosaic note, saying:

"

And believe me the players but also the staff but also the organisation like Manchester United shall do their utmost best and why? Because we have the best fans of the world. Thank you for that and I will see you next season again.

"

A manager thanking the fans, and even calling them the "best" is fairly standard. Van Gaal did deliver the line with considerable emotion, though, and it was him returning to the theme of gratitude, and the theme of wanting to deliver on the fans' behalf.

Watching the speech, it was impossible not to feel optimistic as a United fan. Here was a man full of passion and drive who clearly feels a bond with the fans and the club, whose history is replete with trophies and success. Here was a man who clearly believes that his side are indeed "close" and whose opinion on that probably warrants respect given all he has seen in football.

Michael Sohn/Associated Press

It was pretty inspiring stuff.

And then, of course, there was the surreal postscript, which is mentioned here because it will be remembered in United fan folklore for decades to come. Having left the stage, he returned, took the microphone and said:

"

I want to say something. Pay attention to the manager!

Ryan Giggs said to me, and he is always right but in this case particularly right. I have said to you you are the best fans in the world but tonight I was a little bit disappointed and I shall say why.

"

At this point, interest was piqued. What had fans done to let down their manager, and Ryan Giggs of all people? Van Gaal had the answer. "I have seen a lady who plays the saxophone fantastically. Give her big applause!"

Clive Rose/Getty Images

We will, Louis, and frankly, we will give you big applause too. If this is his response to fourth place, we can only imagine how good the speech will be if he actually wins something.