Next England Manager: 10 Best Candidates To Replace Sam Allardyce
3. Louis Van Gaal
It’s safe to say that Louis Van Gaal doesn’t have the best reputation in English football at the moment. Sacked after a wholly disappointing spell in-charge at Manchester United, LVG was an almighty flop on English shores. His Red Devils side played regularly struggled to impose their will on opposing teams, with the manager preferring a reactive rather than proactive approach, and their matches quickly became drab, joyless affairs early in his tenureship.
That being said, on a tactical level, LVG might be exactly what England need. His playing style at Manchester United wasn’t conducive to winning championships at the highest level, but nobody’s expecting the next England manager to go out and win the 2018 World Cup. Media expectations remain high, but England will be underdogs against sides like Brazil and Spain, and Van Gaal’s tight, unadventurous style could work in their favour in such games.
Van Gaal certainly has the pedigree. He’s managed the Netherland twice, and led them to a third-place finish at the 2014 World Cup. At club level, he has four Dutch Eredivisie titles to go with his two La Ligas and one Bundesliga trophy, and he won the Champions League with Ajax back in 1995. LVG can be criticised for a number of reasons, but his track record isn’t one of them.
A stern, cold, and intimidating personality, Van Gaal isn’t the most likeable or charismatic man in football, but he knows how to get results. His Manchester United spell is a rare blotch on his copybook, and history suggests he’d make a fine appointment.