Finally

After weeks of rumors and speculations, and after a few postponements, Manchester United announced Louis van Gaal as the next manager, to take charge of the club after the World Cup. Ryan Giggs is set to be his assistant manager. Here's an excerpt of the statement from the club's website:

Louis van Gaal will take over as manager of Manchester United from the 2014/15 season. He has signed a three-year contract.

Louis, 62, has managed at the top level of European football for over 20 years and in that time has won domestic titles and domestic cups in three countries, as well as the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Cup, an Intercontinental Cup, two UEFA Super Cups and domestic Super Cups in Holland and Germany.

He will take up his post after the FIFA World Cup, where he will manage the Dutch national team.

Ryan Giggs, English football's most decorated footballer and the United player with the most appearances in the club's history, has been appointed as assistant manager. Ryan took charge of the first team for the last four matches of the 2013/14 season.

Welcome, Louis. Let's get this club back to where it belongs. I really am glad that Ryan Giggs is staying at the club. I don't know if I could handle seeing Giggsy in a different club's suit or kit.

Plenty of changes

It has barely been 12 months since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, followed by David Moyes' appointment, Paul Scholes, Phil Neville, and David Beckham's retirement from playing. It has been a roller coaster of a year. The failures this past season really hurt. And then we had to say goodbye to our captain Nemanja Vidic, who is set to join Inter Milan. At least he got a decent farewell at our last home game this season.

Vidic's partner in defense, Rio Ferdinand, was not offered a contract extension, which means he would leave the club this summer, too. Ferdinand and Vidic, in front of Edwin van der Sar, had been the best defensive pair I have seen at Manchester United. Unfortunately, us fans were unable to send him off in a better way. He made a statement on his website:

“I have thought long and hard over the last few months about my future, and after 12 fantastic years playing, for what I regard, as the best club in the world, I have decided the time is right for me to move on.

I joined Manchester United in the hope of winning trophies, and never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined how successful we would be during my time here. There have been so many highlights, playing alongside some great players who have become good friends, winning my first Premier League title and also that fantastic night in Moscow are memories that I will cherish forever.

Circumstances didn’t allow for me to say goodbye the way I would have liked but I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my teammates, staff, the club & the fans for an unbelievable 12 yrs that I’ll never forget. Winning trophies I dreamed about as a kid came true at this great club.

I am feeling fit and healthy, ready for a new challenge and looking forward to whatever the future holds for me”

I really think the issue should have been resolved sooner, so he'd have the chance to say farewell to Old Trafford as Vidic did. My fairy tale ending is for United to hold a testimonial/friendly for both Vidic and Ferdinand. Maybe a Vidic XI vs Ferdinand XI, or the Vidic & Ferdinand & Friends vs Man Utd. I just need more time before I can let them go...

Vice-captain Patrice Evra has to stay now. We can't lose too many leaders at the same time. I still hope United would get a new left back, and hopefully Evra is fine with being a backup, but we can't let everyone leave.