Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal could have managed Sunderland

Posted Wednesday, July 30, 2014 by Dailystar.co.uk

LOUIS VAN GAAL could have been Sunderland's boss - if he'd listened to his wife.

MACKEM MAN: Van Gaal was lined up to take the reigns at Sunderland

Van Gaal is set to lead deposed champions Manchester United's bid to regain the Premier League title following David Moyes' ill-fated short reign at Old Trafford.

The former Holland boss is relishing his first shot at management in this country, but that could have come five years ago had former Black Cats chairman Niall Quinn, and his wife Truus, had their way.

Irishman Quinn has spoken for the first time about how close the 62-year-old came to taking charge at the Stadium of Light as the Wearsiders searched for a long-term successor to caretaker boss Ricky Sbragia

Sunderland also held talks with ex-Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini in 2009, before opting for Geordie Steve Bruce.

The club's billionaire US owner Ellis Short was ready to back former chairman Quinn's bold bid to bring in Van Gaal, who boasts one of the more impressive coaching CVs in world football.

Truus was more than keen on the idea of a move to England.

But Sunderland were blown out of the water when Bayern Munich came in for the Dutch master, who less than a month into his tenure at Manchester United, has already made his mark.

In a soon to be published book 'Up There: The North-East, Football, Boom & Bust', Black Cats legend Quinn said: "Maybe some would say we had delusions of grandeur.

"But we had good feedback from Louis van Gaal. I spoke to him personally a couple of times on the phone at home.

"One time his wife answered and told me, 'Keep working on him, I want to go to England'. Ellis Short was all set to back it if it came off."

Italian Mancini also showed an interest in joining Sunderland, shortly before taking charge at Manchester City in December 2009 and leading them to their first Premier League crown within three years.

Quinn, 47, added: "Roberto's people got in touch with us at that time too. He'd been having English lessons.

"It was interesting. We opted for Steve Bruce and he got us a top ten finish."