5 Things That Ronald Koeman Is Getting Right And Louis Van Gaal Isn't

3. Attitude

Welbeck was sold all too easily thanks to his manager's readiness to criticise him and the England forward has not been alone in being on the end of Van Gaal's sharp tongue. Before the season had even begun the boss had criticised the club for bowing to the commercial pressure of touring the United States, the players for not being organised enough in those same games in America, Shaw for lacking fitness, Shinji Kagawa for trying to play as a playmaker, and Javier Hernandez for the game in which he scored against Real Madrid (like Welbeck, Kagawa left shortly afterwards for a cut price, while Hernandez has been loaned out for the season). Van Gaal's self confidence is well known and many thought his authoritarian attitude could prove an asset in sorting out the faults in last season's team. His arrogance and tendency to default to criticising his own players has, however, proved alienating to both fans and the team as their performances have continued to fail and their boss has had no qualms berating them in public. In his failed spell at Bayern Munich, it was this arrogance and alienation from his players that proved Van Gaal's undoing. At Bayern, Van Gaal's attitude eventually caused strife and stress among the players on the pitch and the club's directors making it hard for anyone to do their job. Something similar happening in Manchester is a very real possibility. Perhaps his failures at Benfica and AZ have given Van Gaal's former assistant a greater level of humility than his former boss. Whatever the reason, Koeman has been as ready to praise his players from the start as Van Gaal has been to criticise.

With Saints' key player over the last two years, midfield star Morgan Schneiderlin, taking to twitter to express his displeasure at not being allowed to join former manager Pochettino at Tottenham, it would have been easy to take to the press and decry Schneiderlin's lack of professionalism. Instead Koeman selected the French international for the club's opening games and, after Schneiderlin was the driving force behind Saints' 3-1 win over West Ham, made sure to shower praise on the player's attitude. Schneiderlin has responded positively to his manager's support and reassurance and this has meant he remains the key to the team's success rather than yet another star player departure.