Louis van Gaal making all the right moves early in Manchester United reign but big test still to come

MILTON Keynes will be a symbolic destination for Manchester United as Louis van Gaal begins his mission to rebuild United after such a spectacular fall.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12: Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal signs autographs as he makes his home debut during the Pre Season Friendly match between Manchester United and Valencia at Old Trafford on August 12, 2014 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

IT’S doubtful whether Louis van Gaal has ever heard of Milton Keynes, unless he has a hidden knowledge of geography to include a history of English towns built in the past 50 years.

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But it will shortly be a very symbolic destination for Manchester United as van Gaal begins his mission to rebuild United after such a spectacular and steep fall from the summit of English football.

Manchester United have looked good in pre-season.

The draw for the English Capital One Cup was made this week, a competition in which those clubs who have qualified for Europe get a bye to the third round. But United, for the first time since 1995, haven’t earned that bye – and so were drawn to travel to MK Dons, the League One side based in Milton Keynes.

Of course there are plenty more glamorous fixtures ahead – starting on Saturday night (EST), when United face Swansea at home and the welcome for van Gaal’s first home fixture is likely to be tumultuous.

It’s helped that his side have won every game in pre-season, impressive when he has been intensively bedding in a new tactical system since arriving days after the end of the World Cup.

Essentially given a month to reinvent United from last season’s implosion to title challengers, van Gaal has so far barely added to the existing squad. Ander Herrera will add guile to the midfield after signing from Athletic Bilbao, while 19-year-old Luke Shaw signed from Southampton for an eye-watering $54m – an incredible sum for defender barely out of his teens, especially one who has so far been criticised by van Gaal for being unfit and promptly damaged a hamstring.

With two weeks of the transfer window to go there may well be more signings, and equally likely more departures – Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal remains on the radar, van Gaal is an admirer of the young utility Daley Blind at Ajax, and Argentine centreback Marcel Rojo appears willing to go on strike at Sporting Lisbon to force them to agree to a move to United.

Wayne Rooney has benefitted from van Gaal’s arrival.

But van Gaal is also famous for his self-belief in his own ability to improve players – the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Ashley Young have already been the subject of intense tuition, while Wayne Rooney has had direction on the taking of set pieces.

Rooney, of course, already has reason to enjoy the new regime, having been given the captaincy by van Gaal. Nine years ago another celebrated Dutch coach gave Mark Viduka the captaincy of the Socceroos, and we saw then how that galvanised an occasionally semi-detatched star into a central role.

It is a trait of Dutch coaches to encourage and expect leadership and engagement from their senior players, not afraid to hear contrary opinions.

You can see that too in van Gaal’s move to appoint Ryan Giggs as assistant coach, tapping into the historic culture and history of the club.

Where David Moyes found it necessary to employ a scorched earth policy and bring in entirely his own men, van Gaal wants to return to the Manchester United “way” – as moulded by himself, of course.

Young gun Luke Shaw has plenty to prove.

The results so far seem to have convinced the United squad that they are being led by someone with the stature, bearing and ability to return the club to the top of the English game.

How quickly his new formation and his tactical crash course can be implemented in the cacophony of the English Premier League just makes it all the more intriguing for outsiders – especially when there are other seismic questions to address, such as Liverpool’s ability to live without Luis Suarez, and Arsene Wenger’s belief that Arsenal really are ready to be title challengers.

Originally published as Louis van Gaal making all the right moves early in Manchester United reign but big test still to come