Van Gaal dreams of FA Cup glory in maiden season at Man United
Print Edition
SHORN of European excitement and with only a remote hope of winning the Premier League, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal wants the FA Cup to garnish his first season in charge.
His side needed two attempts to beat fourth-tier Cambridge United, comfortably winning a fourth-round replay 3-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday, but despite its unconvincing progress Van Gaal believes a 12th FA Cup is there for the taking.
With Chelsea and Manchester City already eliminated, he has reason to feel optimistic.
“The FA Cup is a trophy and I’m living for trophies as a coach,” he told United’s website (www.manutd.com)
“For me, personally, I want a trophy everywhere I work in my first season. We have a real chance now. We are the highest-ranked team in the FA Cup. Our status is of the highest club.
“People are maybe betting on us but I am not allowed! I am not a casino man.
“The highest-ranked teams have the better chance of winning.”
United makes the short trip to third-tier Preston North End in the next round, hoping to avoid the problems it experienced during a 0-0 draw at Cambridge last month. “Preston will not be a piece of cake,” Van Gaal cautioned, however.
United’s focus returns to the league on Sunday and a tricky fixture at West Ham United.
Van Gaal’s side is in third spot, 10 points behind leader Chelsea, having not been entirely convincing this season. It is only one point above fifth-placed Arsenal in the battle for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification.
On Tuesday, Cambridge might have taken a sensational lead, with forward Tom Elliott missing a glorious one-on-one opening by hitting a post inside the first minute before midfielder Juan Mata and defender Marcos Rojo gave United a two-goal half-time advantage.
Although he failed to get his name on the scoresheet, Belgian international Marouane Fellaini impressed in a role as a striker alongside Robin van Persie, playing a part in the two first-half goals.
Substitute James Wilson fired in left-footed from the edge of the box to round off the win after 74 minutes in an efficient display where again the result trumped the performance.
Cambridge, the lowest ranked team to reach the fourth round, was already a big winner having guaranteed itself a bumper payday of about 1 million pounds (US$1.52 million) from gate receipts and TV money — a huge sum for a team at its level. The Cambridge chairman said its mighty windfall would be spent on building new toilets at its run-down Abbey Stadium. Any hopes it had of producing one of the biggest shocks in cup history, however, were flushed down the pan.
Second-tier Fulham flirted with an upset against Premier League visitor Sunderland after taking a first-half lead, but was eventually beaten 1-3, having conceded three times in the last half-hour.
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