Van Gaal: I do nothing yet I earn a lot of money

Matt Stead

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has joked that he no longer does anything as a manager and yet: “I earn a lot of money.”

Speaking at an LMA annual management conference, Van Gaal revealed that much has changed during his career in management, which has spanned well over 20 years and has included spells in his native Netherlands, as well as Spain, Germany and now England.

The Dutchman claimed that while he was once an “innovator” for managers, he now simply ‘delegates’ work to various other teams.

“Feedback is very important, of course,” Van Gaal said. “But I have to say that because when I don’t say that then I’m arrogant! [Laughs]

“I am also an innovator, and I have changed a lot in terms of preparing for games. I was the first coach who was with a notebook. Now everybody is with a notebook. I was the first coach who used video.

“I’m from a time where you [the manager] did everything. Now I’m the manager and I have a sports science department, I have a scouting department, I have a medical department, I have assistant managers, I have assistant coaches.

“I don’t do anything – nothing! I delegate. I delegate, and I earn a lot of money [Laughs].”