Louis van Gaal started slowly at Bayern Munich, Barcelona and AZ... Manchester United fans be warned

Van Gaal starts work as United manager this week

United had a disastrous 2013-14 season, finishing seventh in the league

Van Gaal has won league titles at all four clubs he has managed (Ajax, Barcelona, AZ, Bayern Munich)

But his teams traditionally start the season slowly

As Louis van Gaal arrives at Manchester United's Carrington training ground on Wednesday morning, he will do so in the knowledge that he has just 31 days to repair the damage done by the David Moyes era before Swansea City arrive at Old Trafford to kick off the Premier League season.

The Dutchman has already spoken of his desire to restore unity and togetherness into United's DNA. His Holland side at the World Cup was characterised as much by its defiant team spirit as it was by the flair of Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie.

'I hope the group in Manchester will become like this one,' Van Gaal said last weekend.



VIDEO Scroll down to watch David Beckham: Van Gaal and Giggs is a special line-up



All together now: Van Gaal with his Holland squad after they won their third-place play-off against Brazil

New beginnings: The experienced Dutchman starts work at Manchester United this week

It would be unfair, however, to expect an overnight transformation. Holland's determined World Cup campaign was two years in the making. History suggests that Van Gaal's methods are ultimately successful but they can take time to come into fruition. United supporters expecting a blockbuster beginning may be initially underwhelmed.

A Sportsmail study into Van Gaal's last 17 years in club management offers a revealing insight. More often than not, his teams start slowly. The Dutchman took over at Bayern Munich in the summer of 2009.



After 13 matches, Van Gaal had won just five and his team were seventh towards the end of November. They failed to win their first three Champions League group stage matches. By May, however, Bayern had discovered their form, winning the Bundesliga and reaching the Champions League final, where Van Gaal was defeated by Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan.

Timid starts are a surprising feature on Van Gaal's CV, a similarity United fans may note between their new manager and his illustrious predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson.

Stepping in: Assistant manager Ryan Giggs has been leading United's double sessions this week VIDEO Van Gaal can't wait to get started

At Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, Van Gaal achieved the improbable by seeing off the usual contenders in Ajax and PSV to win the Eredivisie in 2009. That triumph, however, followed consecutive defeats at the beginning of the season by NAC Breda and Ado Den Haag. After 11 matches, AZ were fourth.

Even though his period in charge of Ajax (1991-97) produced one of the most celebrated sides in the history of the European game, it should be remembered that Van Gaal required three seasons to win his first Eridivisie title with the Dutch club.



His first season in Catalonia was a success on the spreadsheet, winning the league after an impressive start, with Barcelona second after 14 games, but his style was greeted with dismay by the locals.

Short stay: Van Gaal lasted less than two years at Bayern Munich despite winning the Bundesliga

Against the odds: Van Gaal issues instructions while at AZ, where he won the Eredivisie in 2009

Writing in his book, Barca: A People's Passion, author Jimmy Burns recorded the feelings of supporters towards the end of his first season: 'The jury is out on Van Gaal, a Dutchman lacking the humanity of Bobby Robson and the popularity of Johan Cruyff, both of whose heads have rolled in the space of less than two years.

'Barca may be at the top of the league, but the fans are unconvinced. They have watched the team pathetically founder in Europe, while continuing to play lacklustre football in the League, winning seemingly by default rather than design.'

Divisive: Van Gaal was not always popular at Barcelona despite delivering two titles

Protests: Barca fans show their feelings towards Van Gaal at the Nou Camp in 2000

The La Liga title was sealed in 1998 and 1999, but once again teething problems caused near jaw-ache among the supporters. In December, Van Gaal's side were 10th after 14 games, having won only five. They would go on to win 19 of their next 24, winning the title once more.

It is a familiar narrative with the man they call the Iron Tulip for his robust exterior and extraordinary levels of self-confidence. It is this self-belief that allows Van Gaal to persist when all around the club will criticise.

His style does not appeal to everywhere, once triggering Bayern president Uli Hoeness to dismissively note: 'Louis van Gaal's problem is not that he is God but he's God's very own father. Louis was already there before the world even existed.'

My way or the highway: The Dutchman is expected to lay down the law at Manchester United

At United, senior officials are excited by Van Gaal's bravado. Following the crisis of conviction suffered by Moyes, they believe that the Dutchman will bring a welcome change in attitude and results.

United may be correct on both counts, but if history proves an accurate barometer, then a little bit of patience may be required before the silverware arrives.