Manchester United will become a laughing stock if the Red Devils don’t give new manager Louis van Gaal time to implement his ideas, according to Jimmy Bullard.
The Netherlands head coach is set to take charge of the 20-time English champions following the World Cup after signing a three-year deal at Old Trafford last Monday.
David Moyes lasted less than 11 months in the position before being axed, despite his predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson preaching the importance of stability at the club.
If they keep changing their manager, they are going to turn United into a farce
Jimmy Bullard
And Bullard, who has just released his autobiography called ‘Bend It Like Bullard’, believes the Red Devils need to give Van Gaal plenty of time to leave his mark at Old Trafford.
“They have to spend money and sign new players of quality,” Bullard told The Sport Review. “I’m sure the club will be right behind him to get them up to where they once were.
“It is a great time for him to come in because they’ll have to give Louis van Gaal a lot of time, otherwise the people in charge of Manchester United are going to be seen as a laughing stock.
“If they keep changing their manager, they are going to turn United into a farce. They’re going to have to give this boy a lot of time to stamp his authority and get the players in that he wants.
“There will be questions asked if he wants a player and they say, ‘No, we haven’t got the money’.”
United club-record signing Juan Mata suggested that the Red Devils could challenge for the Premier League title in the absence of Champions League football next season.
However, former Fulham midfielder Bullard feels United need to sign five or six top players to build a squad capable of challenging the current Premier League powerhouses.
“If they go buy five or six players which they need, they’ll look around the changing room and start saying, ‘Hang on a minute, he’s different class or he’s worth a couple of goals today’,” Bullard continued.
“Look at Manchester City. If [David] Silva isn’t having a good day, I can guarantee you that [Sergio] Aguero and [Yaya] Toure are. You always have players that can get you out of trouble. You need strength on the bench.
“They haven’t got that at United. They used to have [Ryan] Giggs, [Paul] Scholes and [Ruud] van Nistelrooy. Expertise in abundance – that’s what you need, otherwise you’re going to struggle.”
Bullard added that he felt Moyes was always a doomed appointment as the 51-year-old never set his Everton side up to play attractive football.
“He had a tough job. For me, it wasn’t the right appointment,” Bullard added. “He doesn’t play world-class football.
“If you look at Everton, they had a grinding way of playing. At United, you’ve got to win playing attractive [football].
“You don’t just win at United, you’ve got to win with arms and legs on it. He has to win in style.
“You can’t just turn Swansea over 2-0, you’ve got to turn them over by three and four and look like world beaters.”
‘Bend It Like Bullard by Jimmy Bullard, out now – priced £16.99’