A brief look at the new Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal’s career milestones.
1951: Born August 8 in Amsterdam.
1972: Signs professional forms with Ajax.
1973: After only one season leaves Ajax to join Belgian side Royal Antwerp.
1977: Returns to the Netherlands and signs for Telstar.
1978: Joins Sparta Rotterdam.
1986: After making 248 appearances for Rotterdam, he leaves to join AZ Alkmaar.
1987: Ends playing career at AZ but remains at the club in a coaching capacity.
1988: Returns to Ajax to become manager Leo Beenhakker’s assistant.
1991: Promoted to head coach at Ajax as Beenhakker leaves to take over at Real Madrid.
1992: Announces himself immediately on the European stage by beating Torino on away goals in the UEFA Cup final.
1993: Wins more silverware in the form of the Dutch Super Cup and the National Cup.
1994: Leads Ajax to the Eredivisie title and makes it back-to-back Dutch Super Cup victories.
1995: Retains the title in style, with Ajax remaining unbeaten in the league, beats AC Milan 1-0 in the final to win Ajax’s first Champions League title for 22 years and takes home third Dutch Super Cup in three years. Follows up that success by winning the European Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup, which saw them beat Copa Libertadores winners Gremio 4-3 on penalties.
1996: Makes it three Eredivisie titles in three years, but falls just short of back-to-back Champions League triumphs as Ajax are edged out 4-2 on penalties against Juventus in the final.
1997: Leaves Ajax at the end of his contract to take over from Bobby Robson at Barcelona.
1998: Wins the first of two back-to-back La Liga titles and also picks up the Copa Del Rey.
2000: Walks away from Barcelona after having a difficult relationship with the press and assumes control of the Dutch national team ahead of the 2002 World Cup.
2001: The Netherlands fail to qualify for a World Cup for the first time since 1986 and Van Gaal later steps down in January 2002.
2002: Returns to the Nou Camp, but endures a tough time of it and ends up being sacked in January 2003.
2004: Spends a year back at Ajax as technical director, but leaves that post in 2005 to take up the hot seat at AZ Alkmaar.
2009: Leads AZ to their first Eredivisie title for 28 years, before heading to Germany to take over at Bayern Munich.
2010: Became first ever Dutch coach to win the Bundesliga and also takes home the DFB-Pokal to secure a domestic double.
2011: Sacked on April 10 as Bayern drifted off the pace in the battle for the Bundesliga.
2012: Starts a second spell in charge of the Dutch national team.
2014: Completes an unbeaten qualification campaign with Holland, winning nine and drawing one of their 10 matches, to book their place at the 2014 World Cup.
May 19 – Announced as Manchester United’s new manager on a three-year contract to begin after the World Cup.
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