Louis van
Gaal dropped the heaviest hint yet that he will appoint compatriot Robin
van Persie as captain when he takes over at Manchester United, claiming
the pair have a similar outlook on life.
The
Holland manager has grown close to the striker, who captains his
country, and is set to favour him over Wayne Rooney for the skipper’s
armband at Old Trafford.
Rooney had looked certain to be made permanent captain under David Moyes.
Double Dutch: Louis van Gaal (right) sees Robin van Persie as his perfect captain at Manchester United
A sign of things to come? Van Persie (right) poses with Kluivert (left), Louis van Gaal's assistant manager
Class: Holland captain van Persie scored a fantastic volley in their 1-1 draw with Ecuador on Saturday
Van Gaal
rarely singles his players out but he gushed about Van Persie after the
30-year-old scored a superb goal in Holland’s 1-1 World Cup warm-up draw
with Ecuador.
Van
Persie was out injured for six weeks towards the end of United’s
disappointing season after suffering a knee injury in their Champions
League victory over Olympiacos in March.
‘Even
coming from a bad injury, he scores a fantastic, unbelievable goal,
just brilliant,’ said Van Gaal about the striker’s 37th-minute equaliser
at the Amsterdam ArenA on Saturday.
Van
Persie is not 100 per cent fit, according to Van Gaal, but looked sharp
as he sprinted to meet a superb pass from Feyenoord midfielder Jordy
Clasie.
He controlled the ball with his chest before volleying past the baseball cap-wearing keeper Maximo Banguera.
‘I
was happy with his performance, but he is also a fantastic captain —
and that is important, too,’ said Van Gaal. ‘I think you always make a
player captain when you have the same morals and philosophy as they do.
‘Not only about football and tactics and what is happening on the pitch but about life as well.
‘We click and I think that’s very important. I believe that Van Persie and Van Gaal share the same philosophy.’
Superb: Van Gaal praised his star striker's scoring record in the year and a half since he took over
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