Club Brugge midfielder Ruud Vormer is full of warm words for his coach Michel Preud'homme, in whom he can see shades of Louis van Gaal.
Vormer played under Van Gaal at AZ Alkmaar before heading to Roda JC, then onto Feyenoord and eventually last summer Club Brugge, penning a three-year deal with the Belgian giants.
The 26-year-old's move to Belgium has brought him into contact with coach Preud'homme, a former Belgium, Standard Liege, Mechelen and Benfica goalkeeper.
Vormer is full of praise for the 56-year-old, who clinched the Belgian Cup with Club Brugge this season.
"I compare Preud'homme a bit with Van Gaal, in so much as as the game progresses, so do his tactics and he communicates a lot with the players", Vormer told Het Laatste Nieuws.
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"[Ronald] Koeman for example is a lot quieter. Although saying that, not so much.
"Preud'homme analyses even more than Van Gaal. The way Preud'homme totally deconstructs an opponent, I find beautiful."
Vormer's words have done him no harm in the eyes of his coach, who is flattered by the comparison with Van Gaal, and at pains to insist all his style is his own, as he has never worked with the current Manchester United manager.
"What a compliment", Preud'homme said.
"But it's not like I've modelled myself on him, because we've never worked together.
"Louis van Gaal is obviously a real coach. I have a lot of respect for him."
Preud'homme has enjoyed significant success in his managerial career so far, winning the Belgian Cup twice, the Belgian title once, the Dutch Cup once and the Saudi Arabian Premier League.
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