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Wayne Rooney names Louis van Gaal ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson as the best manager he's worked with

The Dutch manager was not popular with Manchester United fans during his two seasons at Old Trafford

Sunday 30 June 2019 11:47 BST

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Wayne Rooney: England career in numbers

Wayne Rooney has worked with some of the best managers in football, Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho lead a star-studded list, but he revealed one of Manchester United’s most unpopular managers is the best coach he has worked with.

The United player of 13 years revealed that Louis van Gaal is “one hundred per cent” the best manager he has played for.

Van Gaal was hounded out of Old Trafford by disgruntled fans after two seasons of dull football after spending vast sums of money on players that soon left the club after failing to make an impact.

“Van Gaal is by far the best coach I have worked with - one hundred per cent," he said.

"His tactical skills, his way of preparing and his attention to the finest of details, I found amazing. I admired that in him. I had never looked at stuff like that before.”

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

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1/12Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Stay or go? Transfer verdict 2019

Jack Pitt-Brook runs down the biggest transfer sagas awaiting us this summer and whether they will actually happen or not

AFP/Getty

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

David De Gea

This has been the worst season in years for the best goalkeeper in the world. He struggled at the World Cup then his form declined over the end of a difficult season. Now he wants a pay-rise to get parity with Alexis Sanchez. United have not offered him that, but De Gea knows that PSG would give him the money that he wants. Juventus are interested too. He has one year left and so if United cannot make him an acceptable offer then his long association with the club could be about to end. Verdict: 50/50

REUTERS

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Wilfried Zaha

Always linked with a move to a top club, and this summer Zaha is keen to make that big step again. But having been rewarded with new long-term contracts from Crystal Palace in the past to ward off interest, his club have the upper hand over his future. So while there are plenty of clubs - like Arsenal - who might like Zaha if he was available for £40m, there is less appetite to pay the £80m it would cost to get him out of Selhurst Park. And with four years left on his deal there, Zaha is unlikely to get the move that he wants. Verdict: stay

Action Images via Reuters

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Mesut Ozil

One of the great unanswered questions of the Unai Emery era has been the role of Mesut Ozil. Arsenal’s best paid and most famous player has been pushed out to the fringes this season, with Emery only appreciating in games where he will not have to do too much physical work. Over the season he started just 20 of Arsenal’s 38 league games. The problem is the ludicrous contract he was given in January 2018, a decision that Arsene Wenger soon came to regret and that has hamstrung Emery too. It means there are no takers for him, and he has no interest to leave. Verdict: stay

Reuters

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Ilkay Gundogan

Pep Guardiola’s first signing at Manchester City finished the season in the best form of his time at the club, instrumental in City’s 14-game winning streak that secured them the title. But his future is not clear. He only has one year left on his contract and has dragged his heels on signing a new one, knowing that at 28 years old this could be the last big contract of his career. Guardiola said at Wembley on Saturday night that if he does not sign then he will be sold, with Barcelona interested in signing him. There will need to be a breakthrough in negotiations to keep him at the club. Verdict: 50/50

Getty Images

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Alexis Sanchez

Like Pogba, a man United were delighted to sign but who has not quite delivered on that promise during his time at Old Trafford. Like Ozil, a player who has proven difficult to move because of the contract he negotiated 18 months ago. Sanchez earns more than £500,000 per week and not many other clubs want to pay that. Only now from Inter Milan is there serious interest, with talks now open on a move, with Untied keen to write off a badly-judged investment. Verdict: go

Getty

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

James Maddison

It was only Maddison’s first season in the Premier League but he created more chances than anyone, finishing up with over 100, split evenly between set pieces and open play. He has played with the same confidence and ability he showed all the way through his young career so far, at Coventry City, Aberdeen and Norwich City. The only question is what next. Manchester City, Liverpool and Spurs have been following Maddison his whole career but he has always put football first. And while that interest is still there, he is not expected to leave Leicester yet. Especially given the recent arrival of Brendan Rodgers. Verdict: stay

Getty

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Christian Eriksen

For most of this year the presumption at Spurs was that this would be Christian Eriksen’s last season. Because he had one year left on his deal and was not signing a new one. Real Madrid would be his destination and Spurs were already lining up replacements. But there have been plenty of changes at Madrid recently, with Zinedine Zidane coming in and changing their transfer plans. Now the transfer is less certain and there are is even talk of fresh transfer negotiations. His departure is not inevitable yet. Verdict: 50/50

REUTERS

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Harry Maguire

With Vincent Kompany off to Anderlecht, and Nicolas Otamendi likely to leave too, Manchester City want a new centre-back. According to the Mail, they have identified Leicester’s Harry Maguire. He knows the league and would also help them with their home-grown quota for their Champions League squad. But as a 26-year-old England international at an established Premier League side, he is not going to be cheap. Verdict: go

Reuters

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Jadon Sancho

Manchester United made Sancho their top transfer target for this summer and were willing to pay £100million to get the teenager out of Borussia Dortmund. But that move will now not be happening, Sancho and his advisers having decided that Old Trafford would not be the right environment for his development. While a move is still theoretically possible - if PSG or Real Madrid pay the asking price - it is far more likely that the 19-year-old Sancho will stay at Dortmund for another season of development now. Verdict: stay

AP

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Toby Alderweireld

It speaks volumes to Mauricio Pochettino’s motivational powers that he has got such a good season out of Alderweireld when it looked last summer as if player and club were set to part ways. Alderweireld wanted a move to Manchester United last summer but there was never an agreement on price so he had to stay. Spurs have taken the option in his contract, which means he will be available this summer to any team who pays £25million for him. This will surely be the point when his four-year spell at the club ends, with one of the richer teams likely to see him as a perfect short-term defensive solution. Verdict: go

Getty Images

Transfer verdict 2019: Stay or go?

Paul Pogba

When Zinedine Zidane return to the Real Madrid’s manager’s job he made Paul Pogba a priority and now it depends on how much Madrid want to back him. Pogba himself is interested in a move to Madrid, and has been for years. And while Pogba’s form did improve after Jose Mourinho’s departure at Christmas, there is also a view at Old Trafford that they would be better off without a player who is so inconsistent, and who some view as a negative dressing room influence. United would still need to recoup most of the £89m fee for him to sell, however. Verdict: 50/50

AFP/Getty Images

“Van Gaal knows that the way he works is tough for players. I made him aware of that at the time and we talked about this very well together.

The experienced Dutch manager left the club after winning the FA Cup in 2016, United’s first major trophy since Ferguson left the club in 2013.

Wayne Rooney named Louis van Gaal as the best manager he has worked with (Getty)

“I regret how it all ended, yet I know one thing for sure - I have learnt a lot from him and I am definitely going to use those lessons for when I am a manager,” added Rooney.

The 33-year-old is still playing in the MLS for D.C. United but is using some of his spare time to start studying for his coaching badges and may look to Van Gaal for inspiration as he looks to begin his coaching career.

Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, Rangers and soon-to-be Chelsea manager respectively, have both enjoyed successful starts to their coaching careers and Rooney hopes this shows he can enjoy a prosperous career in the dugout, not that he’s ready to hang up his boots just yet.

“It is great to see that Frank and Steve have been given these chances at big clubs,” Rooney said, “that gives me hope too because I do think about these things.

“But for the time being, I am enjoying my life as footballer. I want to win more trophies.

“Physically, I feel good and I am still ambitious. But once my career is over, I am going to consider all the options.”

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