Van Gaal wants Giggs next to him

The 62-year-old, who will soon be announced as David Moyes's permanent successor, always wants to have a local ally on hand for advice whenever joining a new club.

Louis van Gaal is keen to keep Ryan Giggs on the coaching staff when he takes over at Manchester United, Goal understands.

The Dutchman will soon be announced as the new man in the dugout at Old Trafford and wants to work with interim boss Giggs, especially as his Netherlands ally, Patrick Kluivert, will not be joining him in England.

Giggs has filled in as player-manager since the April sacking of David Moyes and Van Gaal sees the United legend as a useful link to the club.

“When I go to a new club, I always want to keep one coach from the existing staff,” the 62-year-old told Fifa’s official website in December.

“[At Bayern Munich] that person was Herman Gerland, who is still working under Pep Guardiola. I wanted to know who was coming through the youth system and he is the man who said to me: 'Thomas Muller, Holger Badstuber and David Alaba. These are the players.’”

There will be a vacancy at Old Trafford for a new captain after Nemanja Vidic’s summer move to Inter and, with Robin van Persie speculated as a candidate thanks to his pre-exisiting international rapport with the coach, Van Gaal also explained his vision for a skipper.

“This is more based on characteristics, which is very important for me," he remarked. "I have to live with them and give them more responsibility. I have to admire him also because of his personality, his identity. My captains are very professional but also very ambitious and honest.

"Age is not important. When I moved to Barcelona [in 1997], Pep Guardiola was 27 years old - traditionally in Spain, the captains are the eldest players [but] I wanted to give him responsibility and transfer my philosophy. I have to click with my captains.”

As with his captaincy, Van Gaal is happy to give chances to younger players if needs be and is thrilled to see those he has nurtured go on to great things.

The Dutchman added: “You have to play as a team and not as individuals. That's why I'm always going back to the vision, then the team, and then which players fit in my system - a 4-3-3, because I'm always playing that.

“If a young player can do it, then I select him. If it's an older player, it doesn't bother me; it's not the most important factor. Age is not important.

"It makes me happy and proud [to see my young players doing great things] but Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Thiago] Motta, Muller or Alaba fitted in the profile of the position.

“For example, I talked with Alaba about the left full-back position. He didn't want to play there. He was educated as a midfielder but I had a vacant position for him because I had injuries and thought he could do the job.

"After a lot of talking, in the end, he played there because he wanted to help the team. Where is he playing now? Left full-back."


/Goal.Com/