Tuesday 28 July 2015 07:00, UK
Louis van Gaal’s reunion with Victor Valdes did not work out but he’ll be hoping for better from his old AZ Alkmaar goalkeeper Sergio Romero, writes Adam Bate.
Given that Manchester United had just signed Argentina’s first-choice goalkeeper on a three-year deal, the line of questioning for Louis van Gaal was understandable. Is Sergio Romero the replacement for David de Gea or merely a back-up goalkeeper?
“I think in a top club like Manchester United you always need competition,” said Van Gaal. “And that's why we are buying the players. I have of course spoken with Sergio and also with David and with me always the best shall be in the line-up so you have to fight.”
Perhaps the truth is that, for Romero, first-team football has become a bonus rather than a promise. The 28-year-old featured only three times for Monaco in Ligue 1 during 2013/14 and followed it up with just nine starts as deputy to Emiliano Viviano at Sampdoria last term.
International opportunities have come more readily with Romero having featured for Argentina at last year’s World Cup and the recent Copa America. However, as Argentine journalist Andres Garavaglia explains, even in his homeland there are doubters.
“He isn't thought of too highly among Argentinian fans,” Buenos Aires-based Garavaglia told Sky Sports. “In fact, we all thought that the goalkeepers who were most deserving of being transferred to Manchester United were Marcelo Barovero of River Plate and Sebastian Saja from Racing Club.
“Romero is always considered for the national team by each coach because they think that as he has played for several European teams he has the most experience. But in truth, he isn't the favourite of the fans. In fact, for Brazil 2014, most preferred Barovero.”
Under such circumstances, it is difficult to argue United are acquiring an in-form performer. “I don't think that he has made so much progress because he did not play so much in the clubs after AZ,” added Van Gaal. This AZ link seems to be key. Van Gaal knows Romero well.
It was the Dutchman, during his time in charge in Alkmaar, who gave the then 20-year-old Romero his big break in Europe. Dutch journalist Michiel Jongsma remembers a young goalkeeper who blossomed with the support of his experienced coach.
“In his time in the Eredivisie,” Jongsma told Sky Sports, “Romero presented himself as a very talented goalkeeper, a good footballer with a fantastic long kick, a tall man with great reflexes who was unbeatable on his day.
“Van Gaal gave him time to adjust to Dutch football and the two really share a great bond. Van Gaal's ability to speak Spanish really helped him through his first few months when he had a difficult time settling in Alkmaar.”
After that tough start to life in Europe, Romero got his first-team opportunity when first-choice keeper Boy Waterman was injured in February 2008. He soon impressed and played a significant part in AZ winning the title for the first time in 28 years the following season.
In fact, Romero broke a series of club records in that campaign. He kept 18 clean sheets in the team’s first 25 Eredivisie games and at one stage even went 950 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. It’s natural that Van Gaal should have fond memories.
'Good choice'
“I think it’s a very good choice,” said Van Gaal. “I know what he can do. He’s a very dominating goalkeeper; he dominates the 60-metre area. His stature is also tall and he gives a lot of confidence to the players.”
These are qualities on which Van Gaal places considerable stock and – just like De Gea and Victor Valdes – Romero will be expected to build attacks from the back. “He is very good with his feet so he fits our profile,” added Van Gaal.
But it’s the praise of Romero’s “character” that is interesting in light of Van Gaal’s fall-out with Valdes when the ex-Barca man reportedly refused to play in an Under-21 game. He needs a goalkeeper he can trust and in Romero it would seem he has found one.
Curiously, Romero’s character once manifested itself in him breaking his hand when punching a wall following an error in a cup game against NAC. The famously fiery Van Gaal was uncharacteristically sanguine in response, focusing instead on Romero’s desire.
Perhaps it helped that he is a Van Gaal disciple. “I thank God for having the privilege to work with the crème de la crème of managers,” the Argentine once told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad in reference to his AZ boss. This is an attitude Van Gaal will relish.
Romero thankful
“He helped me,” said Romero after saving the penalties that ended Van Gaal’s World Cup dream with the Netherlands at the semi-final stage last year. “I went to a country where I didn't understand a word of the language, he helped me and I'm thankful for everything he did for me.”
Van Gaal even claimed to have taught Romero how to save penalties, making the defeat particularly galling. But his next trick will need to be equally impressive if Romero is to make a meaningful contribution at Old Trafford. He needs to get Romero back to his 2009 best.
“Apart from that season he really struggled to find consistency,” added Jongsma. “But if there is one man who can bring out the promise that was once there it is Van Gaal.” Not quite a De Gea replacement then. But the new Valdes might still be preferable for the United boss.
