Louis Van Gaal will Revive Manchester United and Restore Glory to Theatre of Dreams

After many weeks of speculation, Manchester United have finally announced that Dutch national team coach Louis Van Gaal will take over control of the club following his World Cup duties.

Of the candidates who have been mentioned as possible successors to the throne at Old Trafford, Van Gaal's philosophy, character and past successes are a near-perfect fit for the twenty-time champions of England.

No matter how much time goes by, any future manager of Manchester United will have their every decision dissected by the media and will have their term in charge compared with the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. For some (as we saw with David Moyes) that cross will always be too much to bear.

But Van Gaal has already worked for some of the world's biggest clubs (Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich) and his career is decorated with successes on the world stage. His hiring alone will help restore some of the glamour to the club, which had been lost following a disastrous championship defence this past season.

Van Gaal's footballing philosophy is similar to the one developed so successfully at Manchester United over the course of the club's history. United have had some of their greatest success after placing their faith in youth, from the Busby Babes to the Beckham batch. Van Gaal's own zenith, the 1995 Champions League, was also achieved with a team of kids; some have claimed that Sir Alex Ferguson chose to build a new team around Beckham, Scholes et al after weatching Ajax's class of '95 conquer Europe.

While at Barcelona, Van Gaal also gave Xavi and Iniesta their debuts. He later gave Thomas Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger their first chances to shine at Bayern Munich. His commitment to youth is consistent, and unflinching. Given the profusion of talent being cultivated in United's youth ranks, his appointment could be ideally timed.

Van Gaal's attacking style of play is also very much in line with the kind of football expected from Manchester United supporters. He was schooled on the Dutch 'Total Football' and he believes that this philosopy "sets me apart" from other managers.

"The philosophy binds players with trainers and coaches" Van Gaal once said. "In my career I have had a lot of players who are fascinated by that philosophy. It is very nice to take part in it because it an attacking philosophy, technical and tactical. You can show your qualities in it more than ever."

The Dutch leader is also adept at handling the crushing media coverage that surrounds clubs with the massive global presence of Manchester United. Van Gaal has had well-documented run-ins and outbursts with members of the press. He has been described as "aloof", "a dictator, with no sense of humor" and simply "crazy" by members of the footballing world.

But the fact is, when the 62-year-old manager is preparing to speak while standing in front of hoards of reporters, his aura commands respect and leaves many in the room fearing his ire.

Sir Alex Ferguson ruled over his press conferences with an iron fist and the potential for catching his scorn was something that left many in the media feeling nervous and anxious. The legendary United manager's confidence and control communicated the immensity of the man and his club; that powerful presence rubbed off on Manchester United's players and supporters.

After the timidity and trepidation of David Moyes, United need someone who can bring a touch of arrogance back to Old Trafford. Van Gaal's self-assurance guarantees that United's manager will once again dominate a press room and will breathe life into the former champions who have been staggered following a season of hard hits on and off the pitch.

The job in front of Van Gaal is not an easy one. He has to rebuild United's defence, which has been ravaged by age and inconsistency, while augmenting the club's sub-standard midfield options - all the while attempted to knock Manchester City off their newly-won perch.

Prior to Van Gaal's appointment, United had been reportedly willing to spend roughly £200million during this summer's transfer window. Targets had been identified and deals were being lined up by chief-executive Ed Woodward. But the hiring of Van Gaal has energised those efforts and galvanised United's potential summer targets.

The club is being linked with new world class talents each day, and the excitement is building around Old Trafford once again. After the Moyes interregnum, which never really clicked, it now feels like United are back.

Peter Quinn is an avid Manchester United fan who has previously written for USA Today and World Soccer Talk.

This piece was provided by the ManUnitedWorld fansite. You can find them on Twitter @ManUnitedWorld.