It just takes time to fix things.
It has been a difficult transition period for Manchester United since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 from the position he had held for 26-and-a-half years.
Ferguson played a big part in David Moyes becoming his replacement, but the Scot’s tenure at Old Trafford was ill-fated and he was sacked just 11 months into a six-year contract with the Red Devils.
Ryan Giggs filled in as an interim before it was announced Louis van Gaal would take charge permanently once he had guided the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup – with the Dutch eventually finishing third in a positive tournament for them.
Whilst the appointment of Moyes was seen as near a replica to Ferguson as possible, there was more excitement around the arrival of van Gaal, with the experienced 63-year-old having enjoyed success with Ajax, FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the past.
The Dutchman arrived with a reputation for being gruff, but honest, with the media and not long after taking charge at the Theatre of Dreams the boss said it takes his sides three months to adjust to his methods.
Yet a strong performance in pre-season and a record window of spending – with an almost £150m outlay on the likes of Angel di Maria, Radamel Falcao and Luke Shaw – and United fans were waiting for the glory days to return.
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However, an opening day Premier League home defeat to Swansea City suggested otherwise and then a humiliating 4-0 loss to League One side MK Dons in the Capital One Cup caused murmurs that maybe van Gaal wasn’t right either.
In fact after 10 league matches in charge Moyes had a better record than his successor and it was already being widely reported that the club’s hierarchy were looking for replacements.
Van Gaal never wavered though and despite never repeating it, was comfortable in the fact that he had stated it would take three months for things to adjust – something he had presumably relayed to the board upon first being offered the job.
That time has now elapsed and sure enough the Red Devils are showing form, with a scrappy 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium followed up by a convincing 3-0 home victory over Hull City on Saturday.
Three points against Stoke City in their next match will be four on the trot for van Gaal and affirm United’s place in the top four; which is surely the target for the team after finishing seventh in 2013/14.
Things are far from the Champions League winning sides of Ferguson in 1999 and then 2008, but fickleness is a trait in football that could perhaps be worth doing away with as the answer is not always change.
It will take time, but van Gaal can be smug when he guides Man United back to their glory days.