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Daley Blind is convinced Louis van Gaal can go Dutch with his United side and change the mindset of the support.

The Reds' £14m versatile defender-cum-midfielder is a disciple of the Old Trafford manager’s philosophy.

He was brought into the Holland squad by Van Gaal and witnessed the Dutch Nation question the manager’s tactical switch from the traditional 1970s 4-3-3 Total Football so beloved in the Netherlands.

Just like United fans are struggling to come to terms with the back three or five system favoured by the 63-year-old, the Oranje support and TV pundits railed against LVG’s switch.

But winning the bronze medal in Brazil in the summer, kick-started by a 5-1 thumping of holders Spain in Salvador, saw Van Gaal became a hero.

And Blind, who is preparing for his FA Cup bow against Cambridge on Friday night, believes United will come to see it the Dutchman’s way as well.

“He expects a lot from his players. He is very honest and direct in what he wants,” says Daley.

“That is a good thing. He makes players better and he makes teams better. I like that in a coach. That is his most important asset.

“It was the same when I was with him with Holland. He wanted to make the team better. As the team gets better individuals started standing out.

“I like it that he is so direct and clear. I don’t think the whole philosophy of the club has changed in the way we are playing.

“He is very clear in what he wants. We all understand what he wants it of course if you have played another system for a long time you have to get used to a new one but that isn’t a problem. There are games we are doing it every well but games when we can do it better. We are improving.

“Of course there are moments we can be better but we are getting better. It doesn’t happen overnight. You can’t always switch something in a day.

“The players are comfortable in the system.

“Last season in Holland there were discussions on the television (about the system changes) but there is always someone who wants to say something, otherwise there would be no interest in TV.

“We were confident as a team the way we played and every one game when we beat Spain the whole country was behind us.

“We improved. You change the system and you get better, you become a team and you start winning.

“Spain was an amazing game. I never thought that would happen. But we believed in what we were doing.”

Could an FA Cup success at Wembley become United’s ‘Spain’ moment for Van Gaal?

“We have played some good games this season so I don’t think we need it,” he said.

“But you want to win everything. If you are in the race for a title or a cup then you want to be the champion.

“You have to take every possibility there is to win something. We knew it was going to be difficult in the Premier League but we have to keep our heads up. We have to keep faith.”

Blind himself has had to take on board criticism from TV experts with former United captain Gary Neville saying earlier in the season that the former Ajax player was always taking the “easy option”.

But Blind believes it is a case of patience rather than safety-first and is happy to let others grab the headlines and be the game-changers as long as he helps provide the killer balls for his colleagues.

“I can take a bit of criticism. The people on TV can say what they want. You hear it but I think I have played some good games,” added Blind.

“Of course you can play the ball forward but sometimes it is good to keep the ball in possession and make your team mates play better. I can make other players more important than myself. If I can do that by switching the play to the other side or wait for the right moment to do that then I will.

“If there is space forward then I will play that ball but sometimes I think it is better to keep possession, to switch from side to side and move the ball and search for players who can make an individual action.

“I am not a player who does that. I like the possession game. I like to keep the ball and wait for the openings.

“Of course, I listen to him (Gary Neville) but I try to play my own game and do what the trainer wants from me. He wants me to keep possession.

“It is important to keep the ball and make the opponent more tired. You don’t have to win matches in the first half.

“You can wait until the second half. It is all about waiting for the right moment. Sometimes the space is there but other times you just have to keep the ball and wait for an opening.”