Whether you're an employer or the employee, it's always good to get a nice reference.
One certainly didn't come Manchester United's way last weekend, as Louis van Gaal responded to speculation linking Ajax manager Erik ten Hag with the Old Trafford job. "I'm not going to advise [Erik], he'll call me himself," said the Netherlands boss. "But he must choose a football club and not a commercial club."
Ouch. Van Gaal went on to say: "Erik ten Hag is a great coach and that is always good for Manchester United. But Manchester United are a commercial club, so it's a difficult choice for a coach. He'd better go to a football club."
Ten Hag has earned the right to be considered for the United job, still regarded as one of the most illustrious managerial roles in European football. He's won two Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups at Ajax, coming within seconds of reaching a Champions League final in 2018-19. The Dutchman has also worked with Pep Guardiola, just for good measure.
But Ten Hag has also earned the right to turn down United's advances. It's imperative the Manchester club give a good impression of themselves after a tricky era. Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in May 2013, United have won just three major trophies - and none of those have been the Premier League or Champions League.
Van Gaal's comments won't add to United's credibility, to say the least. We can all criticise the Red Devils, yet the veteran's comments have real substance. He is arguably - and few will dare to argue with this claim - the greatest living Dutch coach.
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The 70-year-old's trophy cabinet includes La Liga, the Bundesliga, the Eredivisie and the Champions League. He also has a bronze medal from the World Cup in 2014. If Ten Hag can achieve half of what Van Gaal has in the coming years, he'll do well.
And that's not even taking Van Gaal's status as a former United manager into account. His time at Old Trafford was hardly electric, yet he still returned the Red Devils to the Champions League and won the first trophy of the post-Ferguson era - the FA Cup in 2016.
United fans don't view him as a legend, yet he's still remembered fondly. "Louis van Gaal's army!" famously chanted the Dutchman in a bizarre press conference, responding to speculation about his future. Van Gaal was a character at United and deserved respect.
But he didn't get it. As he lifted the FA Cup at Wembley, everyone knew he was going to be sacked two days later. It was the worst kept secret in football, as United's chief operational administrator Ed Woodward lined up Jose Mourinho as his replacement.
Van Gaal was a dead man walking when he should've been basking in cup success. It's easy to see why he brands United a "commercial club" - something Woodward is often criticised for creating - rather than one of England's finest footballing institutions.
And now, six years on, Van Gaal's departure may come back to haunt his former employers. Ten Hag will listen to his elder's damning verdict of the Premier League side. United will be hoping he - and any other potential candidates - will not take Van Gaal's advice.
