Louis Van Gaal: Dutch Courage

By Andrew Kirby

When unveiled as Bayern Munich manager in 2009, Louis Van Gaal remarked, “I am what I am; self-confident, arrogant, dominant, honest, industrious, innovative.” Former players have described him as “scary”, as a “volcano”. The former Barcelona president described him as “the devil himself”. At Bayern, they said he “vaangalised” their team.
And yet at the same time, he is “warm-blooded”. He openly admits: “I cry almost every day. There’s always something that touches me.” Barcelona’s Xavi says of him: “People see him as arrogant and aloof but he’s really not.”
‘Dutch Courage’ separates the man from the myths. This Dutch master has been the head of some of the greatest dynasties in European football – Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United – as well as the boss of the Netherlands national team (twice).