The Dutchman's old Barcelona underling has the edge on his coaching mentor as they prepare to pit their wits against each other, writes Martin Lipton
Can you manage? Coaching royalty Mourinho and Van Gaal meet again on Sunday
When they first met, in 1997, it was hardly a relationship of equals.
One was the backroom boy, another man’s protege, unsure of his position, his future. The other, already with one Champions League triumph to his name, asked to bring control to the Barcelona dressing room, to make the Nou Camp a place of pilgrimage again.
Yet when Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal shake hands at Old Trafford on Sunday - and unlike some others he has ducked recently, the Chelsea boss will not swerve this appointment - it will be with the pendulum having swung.
Van Gaal is not a man to hide his own light under a bushel.
When it comes to declarations of self-aggrandisement, the Dutchman remains in a class of his own.
But both he and Mourinho have come a long way since the Portuguese was delegated to Van Gaal as an inherited member of Bobby Robson’s coaching staff when the former England boss was ‘’promoted’’ into little more than an ambassadorial role.
Mourinho was initially the upstart, adopting a persona out of place with his true status in the club.
“I went into the room and there was Josep Luis Nunes, the President, Bobby Robson and Jose,’’ recalled Van Gaal.
“Mourinho thought he’d been promised the youth academy and even that he might be the next manager and hadn’t been told.
“He was so angry and shouted so much about not being consulted that I was impressed. On that day he was a special one and because of that I hired him.
“After one year he could have left but he stayed. He was an excellent co-trainer, a substitute coach. He carried out all the analysis for Barcelona and studied all the opponents.
“Also, and I don’t do it very often, I let him coach matches, because I was convinced he had specific qualities.’’
Matthew Peters
Red faces: Van Gaal and Giggs have led United to an indifferent start to the season
Both men moved on, Van Gaal to two stints with Holland, interspersed with a return to Barca and jobs at AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich, Mourinho back to Portugal before his ascent through the footballing firmament.
Still, unquestionably, Van Gaal believed he was still the master to Mourinho’s apprentice.
Perhaps the tipping point came in 2010, when Van Gaal led his Bayern side out in Madrid against Mourinho’s Inter for the Champions League Final.
In the build-up, Van Gaal had opted for paternal praise. Mourinho was ‘’one of the best in the world’’, who had surpassed the Dutchman’s expectations.
‘’Maybe he has copied me in some ways,’’ suggested Van Gaal. ‘’I see some of the discipline I have in my teams instilled in those organised by Jose.
‘’Mourinho teaches his team to win at all costs. My philosophy is to attack, always attack. To win by attacking your opponent on the pitch.
‘’He is more defensive, that’s his tactic and the choice you make as a coach. I believe you should always entertain the public. I don’t behave in such an extreme way as him, but that is his personality.”
The Portuguese of course, was bound for Real Madrid irrespective of the result that night in the Bernabeu. He had conquered Europe with Porto, transformed Chelsea, restored Inter to the summit of the Italian game.
So, it was asked, did Van Gaal agree with the view that Mourinho was the finest coach of his generation?
“He’s 10 years younger than me,” answered the Dutchman. “So in HIS generation, you are right!’’
Even after Mourinho had out-foxed his former mentor, proving that while possession may be nine-tenths of the law, football is won by goals, Van Gaal was claiming the moral high ground, insisting he would have changed nothing and that: ‘’My teams will always be remembered for the way they play.”
Catch us if you can: Mourinho's Chelsea are still unbeaten and lead the title race
But things do change, subtly and slowly, but inevitably.
The proof of that came at the Savoy Hotel last January, when the Football Writers’ Association paid tribute to Mourinho, with Van Gaal invited as one of the guests of honour.
Both recalled those initial days in Catalonia. Mourinho, in turn, spoke of sneaking round the corner to have coffee after coffee with Van Gaal’s wife while waiting for the coach to turn up for scheduled meetings.
Then, elegantly-clad in his dinner suit, the Dutchman declared: “I am always ‘the arrogant Louis van Gaal’ but now I am humble because now he is better than me.’’
He probably did not, quite, mean it.
Van Gaal, with reason, believes himself to be one of the game’s Uber-coaches, his reputation enhanced by Holland’s World Cup display.
Mourinho, acknowledging his debt, laid out the welcome mat when Van Gaal was given the United job.
“He is a great football manager and I am happy he joins me in the same country and the Premier League,’’ said Mourinho. “We had a good relationship, it was very special for me. He had the confidence and trust in me and I have a sense of responsibility to him.
“He left a mark on me. He’s a great guy, a great man and I wish him good.’’
But not too good.
Not on Sunday.
Not when it really matters for both of them.
It will not get nasty - they have too much shared history for that - but, make no mistake, each will want to win this game more than most.
And if the friendship has to be strained, then that is what must be.
When they first met, in 1997, it was hardly a relationship of equals.
One was the backroom boy, another man’s protege, unsure of his position, his future. The other, already with one Champions League triumph to his name, asked to bring control to the Barcelona dressing room, to make the Nou Camp a place of pilgrimage again.
Yet when Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal shake hands at Old Trafford on Sunday - and unlike some others he has ducked recently, the Chelsea boss will not swerve this appointment - it will be with the pendulum having swung.
Van Gaal is not a man to hide his own light under a bushel.
When it comes to declarations of self-aggrandisement, the Dutchman remains in a class of his own.
But both he and Mourinho have come a long way since the Portuguese was delegated to Van Gaal as an inherited member of Bobby Robson’s coaching staff when the former England boss was ‘’promoted’’ into little more than an ambassadorial role.
Mourinho was initially the upstart, adopting a persona out of place with his true status in the club.
“I went into the room and there was Josep Luis Nunes, the President, Bobby Robson and Jose,’’ recalled Van Gaal.
“Mourinho thought he’d been promised the youth academy and even that he might be the next manager and hadn’t been told.
“He was so angry and shouted so much about not being consulted that I was impressed. On that day he was a special one and because of that I hired him.
“After one year he could have left but he stayed. He was an excellent co-trainer, a substitute coach. He carried out all the analysis for Barcelona and studied all the opponents.
“Also, and I don’t do it very often, I let him coach matches, because I was convinced he had specific qualities.’’
Matthew Peters
Red faces: Van Gaal and Giggs have led United to an indifferent start to the season Both men moved on, Van Gaal to two stints with Holland, interspersed with a return to Barca and jobs at AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich, Mourinho back to Portugal before his ascent through the footballing firmament.
Still, unquestionably, Van Gaal believed he was still the master to Mourinho’s apprentice.
Perhaps the tipping point came in 2010, when Van Gaal led his Bayern side out in Madrid against Mourinho’s Inter for the Champions League Final.
In the build-up, Van Gaal had opted for paternal praise. Mourinho was ‘’one of the best in the world’’, who had surpassed the Dutchman’s expectations.
‘’Maybe he has copied me in some ways,’’ suggested Van Gaal. ‘’I see some of the discipline I have in my teams instilled in those organised by Jose.
‘’Mourinho teaches his team to win at all costs. My philosophy is to attack, always attack. To win by attacking your opponent on the pitch.
‘’He is more defensive, that’s his tactic and the choice you make as a coach. I believe you should always entertain the public. I don’t behave in such an extreme way as him, but that is his personality.”
The Portuguese of course, was bound for Real Madrid irrespective of the result that night in the Bernabeu. He had conquered Europe with Porto, transformed Chelsea, restored Inter to the summit of the Italian game.
So, it was asked, did Van Gaal agree with the view that Mourinho was the finest coach of his generation?
“He’s 10 years younger than me,” answered the Dutchman. “So in HIS generation, you are right!’’
Even after Mourinho had out-foxed his former mentor, proving that while possession may be nine-tenths of the law, football is won by goals, Van Gaal was claiming the moral high ground, insisting he would have changed nothing and that: ‘’My teams will always be remembered for the way they play.”
Catch us if you can: Mourinho's Chelsea are still unbeaten and lead the title race But things do change, subtly and slowly, but inevitably.
The proof of that came at the Savoy Hotel last January, when the Football Writers’ Association paid tribute to Mourinho, with Van Gaal invited as one of the guests of honour.
Both recalled those initial days in Catalonia. Mourinho, in turn, spoke of sneaking round the corner to have coffee after coffee with Van Gaal’s wife while waiting for the coach to turn up for scheduled meetings.
Then, elegantly-clad in his dinner suit, the Dutchman declared: “I am always ‘the arrogant Louis van Gaal’ but now I am humble because now he is better than me.’’
He probably did not, quite, mean it.
Van Gaal, with reason, believes himself to be one of the game’s Uber-coaches, his reputation enhanced by Holland’s World Cup display.
Mourinho, acknowledging his debt, laid out the welcome mat when Van Gaal was given the United job.
“He is a great football manager and I am happy he joins me in the same country and the Premier League,’’ said Mourinho. “We had a good relationship, it was very special for me. He had the confidence and trust in me and I have a sense of responsibility to him.
“He left a mark on me. He’s a great guy, a great man and I wish him good.’’
But not too good.
Not on Sunday.
Not when it really matters for both of them.
It will not get nasty - they have too much shared history for that - but, make no mistake, each will want to win this game more than most.
And if the friendship has to be strained, then that is what must be.
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