World Cup winner and five-time Bundesliga champion Paul Breitner believes Louis van Gaal’s previous success with Bayern Munich will be repeated at Manchester United provided the club maintains patience with the Dutchman’s model.

Van Gaal was appointed Bayern Munich manager in 2009 and immediately won the Bundesliga title and German Cup. He would also take the club to the 2010 Champions League final.

During an interview with Manchester Evening News, the former West German international said the foundation laid down by the current United boss have continued to bring Bayern Munich success – even in the years following his departure from the Bundesliga club.

“Louis van Gaal was very good for Bayern Munich because he brought a new system a new organization,” Breitner told MEN Sport.

“Our team had to play with a new way and had to learn to play that way. He brought into the team the ideas about ball possession, organization and control of the game – it was completely new for our players and German football.

“He made the first step into the future and to the level our team is now playing. The second step was made by Jupp Heynckes and the third step is being made by Pep Guardiola.

“We cannot forget the success of Barcelona for five years under Guardiola, but the basis of Pep’s success at Bayern was made by Van Gaal.”

The Bayern Munich legend would go on to say United’s early struggles mirrored those of the team Van Gaal inherited in Germany.

“For us looking from Munich to Manchester and the way the team is trying to understand and changing their ways of their game under Van Gaal it has been very interesting,” Breitner added.

“We know in Munich that United need to take their time to learn and understand and realize and then practice the Van Gaal way. But you have to be patient.

“When he came to Munich it took half a season and when we started the second half of the season our team started to play completely different and were outstanding. They suddenly played a high level of football.

“The same may just be starting at Manchester United. The team had the same problems as we had in Munich when Louis first arrived. You are bound to get problems when you have to change 50 percent of everything you have learned about tactics and systems.

“But now is the moment results are coming and will come. The team will improve and improve and we will see the team back in the Champions League next season.

“I am sure Louis van Gall will bring success to Manchester United. The team is starting to get back to the way of success. I am sure Manchester United will come back and get the success they want to have and need to have.

“I have said many times this season that a Champions League without Manchester United isn’t the Champions League that it must be.

“Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona are the columns of the Champions League for every season. Because of that I hope that Louis van Gaal is able to lead his team into the final four of the Premier League and back into Europe next season.”

Programming note: Liverpool vs. Manchester United will be shown LIVE on Sunday starting at 9:30am EST on NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra.