Former Blues manager says Premier League won’t be easy.
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Former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti predicts a challenging first season in the Premier League for Manchester United’s new head coach Louis van Gaal, according to the Daily Mirror.
The Italian tactician, now in charge of Real Madrid, believes the English top flight is looking more competitive than ever at the moment, and that although van Gaal is a good and experienced manager, he will find himself with a tricky job of rebuilding the club after the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.
United were totally dominant under Ferguson’s long stay at Old Trafford, but crashed back down to earth last season as they finished 7th under David Moyes, who was sacked before the end of the campaign.
Van Gaal looks a better candidate to take control of the team, but Ancelotti, who won the Premier League in his first season at Chelsea in 2009/10, feels things will not necessarily fall into place straight away for the Dutchman in his new job.
“He is a very good and very experienced manager, he has fantastic experience and he will do a fantastic job at United,” he said. “He is a manager who has nothing to learn.
“After Sir Alex Ferguson, it was more difficult for United, but they now have to rebuild a team.
“They have signed good players, but building a team is not easy and the Premier League is a very competitive league.
“It will not be easy to win in the first year, because there are many competitive teams who want to win.”
Ancelotti was reportedly one of the possible contenders for the United job this summer before the club eventually settled on van Gaal, and the two managers will come head-to-head in a pre-season friendly today.