When Louis van Gaal was appointed Manchester United manager, the general assumption was Robin van Persie would be named captain, just as he was of the Dutch national team. However, after trying out various players in the pre-season, Van Gaal eventually settled on Wayne Rooney, a decision he is pleased with himself for making.

He is a democratic leader, he is not a dictator. I like democratic leadership. He is always setting an example for the other players and maybe Wayne is the example for the team’s fighting spirit. Sometimes he can cross the limits but when you review his season you can say that he is a controlled captain. He will always argue with the referee but he did it at the right moment in a positive way. I think after one season I can say I made the right decision to make him our captain. I am very happy with him.