Wayne Rooney Says Louis van Gaal Is 'By Far the Best Coach I Have Worked With'

Wayne Rooney has identified Louis van Gaal as the best coach he has played for, rather than Sir Alex Ferguson.

The D.C. United star spent the bulk of his career with Manchester United, where he enjoyed plenty of success during 13 years under Ferguson and two under Van Gaal, but it was the latter who had the biggest impact on him.

Rooney told De Telegraaf (h/t Goal's Joshua Kane): "Van Gaal is by far the best coach I have worked with⁠—one hundred per cent. His tactical skills, his way of preparing and his attention to the finest of details, I found amazing. I admired that in him. I had never looked at stuff like that before."

Rooney has spent the last year with D.C. United, where he is rolling back the years:

The 33-year-old is hoping to pursue a career in management when he hangs up his boots, and he said his time with Van Gaal will help:

"Van Gaal knows that the way he works is tough for players. I made him aware of that at the time and we talked about this very well together. 

"I regret how it all ended, yet I know one thing for sure—I have learnt a lot from him and I am definitely going to use those lessons for when I am a manager."

Rooney's comments might raise some eyebrows given Ferguson is one of the most successful managers of all time.

The forward won five Premier League titles under the Scot and reached the UEFA Champions League final three times, winning once.

By contrast, Van Gaal's two-year stint at Old Trafford was not particularly successful.

In his first season the Red Devils finished fourth with 70 points. They won the FA Cup in his second, but came fifth with 66 points, having netted just 49 goals.

The Dutchman has enjoyed a great deal of success in his coaching career, though. 

He has won a league title with every club he's managed aside from United⁠; seven in total at Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich⁠. He has also won the Champions League among several other honours.

While he may not have been successful in coaxing attractive football out of his United side, Van Gaal was able to do so at Ajax and Barca⁠—two clubs famous for adhering to aesthetically pleasing, technical play.

If Rooney does indeed move into management, it's the 67-year-old Dutchman he'll clearly be looking to emulate.