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Opinion Piece

Dull United will entertain if LVG is given time

hi-res-61ae1517d7ebebebdfc50f4d2d84c026_crop_northUnited fans are still grieving the loss of Sir Alex Ferguson. It needs to stop.

Years of trophies, a world class manager and a lack of depth in the league, where at least six teams can be currently seen as United’s genuine competitors, as opposed to two or three – Arsenal, Chelsea, more recently City – over the Ferguson era have ultimately left, some, United fans spoilt.

Those years need to be celebrated and not used as an anvil round the necks of the current manager and squad. Yes, that is the benchmark, but it is also history. It’s time to move on.

United have no God given right to win every game, ripping teams apart. Fergie achieved this through hard work, over a significant period of time and Louis Van Gaal faces the exact same challenge.

Fergie was given time. So to must Van Gaal be.

Van Gaal, first and foremost, is a pragmatic winner. He knows that his one and only task, this season, is to deliver United back to the Champions League and the way through which that is achieved is irrelevant.

Of course, long term, United need to rekindle their heritage of direct, speedy and exciting football.

A heritage that has been woven into the history of the club. A heritage that ran before Fergie’s reign, during it and, if fans and the board remain patient, will continue to in the future.

United’s future success hinges significantly on a top four spot and if were United to miss out on fourth place then we can forget about world class players like Paul Pogba, Mats Hummels or Kevin Strootman walking through the door in the summer.

Van Gaal knows this and is setting his team up to win and be incredibly hard to beat – one defeat in the last 19 games in all competition is testament to this.

Fergie wasn’t daft, he went out on top, knowing the squad needed rebuilding and Van Gaal is undertaking that slow, and from the fans’ point of view painful, process.

A combination of dull football and almost constant pressure from the media, one which is being driven by their agenda, have resulted in more than one grumbling of discontent, even if United have reached the quarter finals of the FA Cup and sit third on the table.

What impatient United fans need to ask themselves is this: If Louis Van Gaal can’t get it right , who can? The list of prospective candidates is smaller than City’s trophy cabinet! Trust him. Stay patient. That’s also the United way.

Andrew Sargeant (@ajvjsarge)