Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal needs to be given more time so that the club can see good changes as a result of allowing him to develop his own ideas, former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a news conference in Belgrade, Schmeichel defended Van Gaal’s style, which has been called boring by many fans and pundits.
“When we picked someone like Louis Van Gaal, who has a very big ego and personality, we also picked his way of playing football,” said the popular Dane, who won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the 1999 Champions League with United.
“It is clear that for a certain period of time, while he is rebuilding the team, we have to accept playing in a certain way which perhaps isn’t the Manchester United way.
“The objective of Van Gaal’s first season in charge was to get back into the Champions League and he achieved that. This season, the goal was to do better and the team are doing better.
“Although the fans keep asking the team to attack, attack, attack, they understand that they need to give Van Gaal time.”
Schmeichel was speaking at an event to mark the second anniversary of United’s partnership with Eurobank Serbia ahead of United’s crunch Champions League game against German side VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday.
“Not being in the Champions League last season was very hurtful, as it’s a massive incentive for this club to always be among the best in the world,” he said.
United, who are fourth in the Premier League, three points behind surprise leaders Leicester City, missed out on Europe’s premier club competition last term after finishing seventh in 2014 under David Moyes.
Still cutting the imposing figure that bossed the penalty area during his 1991-1999 spell at United, the 52-year old pointed to United’s dramatic 2-1 win over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final as an example of their character.
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