When David Moyes succeeded from Sir Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United in the summer of 2013, the Scotsman did so with all the attitude of a church mouse. He seemed flattered, even honoured to be given the position, but often looked like a man who wasn't big enough for the massive task at hand. By the time he was relieved of his duties after less than a year, HIIS successor Louis van Gaal came in with an entirely different outlook. Van Gaal is so cocksure of himself and his abilities that he may perhaps wonder if Manchester United are big enough for HIM. By his own admission, the Dutchman is "confident, arrogant, dominant, honest, hard-working and innovative." Oh and let's not forget "modest", shall we? Talk about being full of himself. Or maybe it's just that he is so confident he can get away with being a little bit arrogant - only time will tell if that proves to the case as LVG begins his first season in charge of the Red Devils. United striker Robin van Persie has defended van Gaal's unorthodox managerial style recently, saying: "It is a different sort of approach to what I was used to with previous coaches but I like it. It is a very Dutch way of doing things - very direct but intended to make us better players." Whatever the case, you aren't likely to find a personality with a higher opinion of himself than Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford this season.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
