InsideFootball With Paul McVeigh: Schweinsteiger set to be big hit

Bastian Schweinsteiger’s move to Manchester United looks to be the right one for so many reasons. There’s the obvious: he’s the captain of Germany, the current world champions. He’s 30 and still in the prime of his career. And he came from Bayern Munich, one of the greatest clubs in the world where he was used to winning. It’s where he also worked with Louis van Gaal.

Having seen his new boss close at hand, Schweinsteiger will not be upset by criticism from him after a below par performance on one of United’s pre-season games.

Van Gaal knows the midfielder well and understands his personality. He can empathise with him and knows what he reacts to, that he can accept criticism. He also knows that he’ll appreciate constructive feedback. Singling him out with a message is great man management because once a player thinks that a manager understands him then it fills an emotional need.

One problem with criticism is that managers often deliver it in the dressing room after a game, where emotions are high. That’s a problem because people lose check of their emotions, their emotional state having been dictated by the game they’ve just played in. It’s all well and good for a manager to throw a teacup or kick a bottle over because it shows passion, but it’s not always the best way to get a message across. Passion should be with fans, but not always in a dressing room.

Some players may have a natural or optimistic disposition and can take criticism on board and let it go and move forward very quickly. Schweinsteiger fits this category. Others can’t, especially if it’s delivered in front of others. I’ve seen players criticised and let it get to them. That’s no good to anyone – he’s lost and the team are a man down.

There’s no chance of that with the German. He’s already shown that he’s brave by stepping out of his comfort zone and moving to England when he could’ve easily stayed where he’s been loved for so long. He wants another challenge after winning everything there is to win for his club and his country. The one thing he hasn’t proved himself at is playing outside the Bundesliga. I watch a lot of Bundesliga games and the standard is not as high as the Premier League. Plus, Bayern win the league year after year. He’s got a far bigger challenge with United than had he stayed in Bavaria. Now is the time to do that because United don’t buy 33-year-old players.

Schweinsteiger could’ve taken a less challenging move elsewhere like Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard did with America, but he’s gone for the biggest club, where there are no guarantees and where his reputation will count for almost nothing. That shows what a winner he is. There have been plenty of players who’ve stood out in one league and failed in another, even players considered world class. United have had several, players like Diego Forlan and Juan Sebastian Veron, plus Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria last season. The challenge now for Schweinsteiger is to excel in England.

Working with his former boss helps. He can have an empathy with him, a trust and respect too. He’s going to have a huge number of challenges. Knowing the boss is one less challenge. Speaking the language which he does well for his girlfriend Ana Ivanovic, the tennis player, speaks perfect English, is another important challenge met. Language is the great cultural issue to overcome.

I’ve seen many foreign players come to England and be unable to communicate well in English. It makes life very difficult for them. And I had a short experience on trial in Italy with Pisa. I can speak Italian but still struggled to understand what was being said. Unable to understand the dressing room jokes and banter, I felt lonely and isolated. I didn’t get the contract. Understanding your surroundings and what the other players are wanting from you is vital. Though he’ll face other challenges as he settles into life in England, having a reasonable understanding of English is a huge psychological boost for the German.

Wayne Rooney has gone out of his way to welcome Schweinsteiger. There’s an unwritten rule in football when it comes to the best players in the team. They command a higher respect.

Having played with Ryan Giggs – someone else I’ve seen talking to Schweinsteiger – and club legends like Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, Rooney is carrying on the longstanding tradition of the dressing room that had been set before him. Rooney’s had 10 years to soak it in. Now he’s passing it on to others and it’s right that he, as captain, should do that.

It’s a huge compliment to Schweinsteiger that Rooney and Giggs are going out of their way to help, but it’s in everyone’s interest - there will be benefits to all if Schweinsteiger does well.

It looks like a smart signing – now he just has to play well…