|
 The Dutchman was dismissed two days after United's win over
Crystal Palace in the Wembley Cup final, their first trophy in three
years, paving the way for the widely-expected appointment of former
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as his successor.
News of Van Gaal's impending departure from the club leaked out
minutes after Saturday's 2-1 extra-time victory over Palace and,
following relentless media speculation and a day of negotiations, it
was confirmed by both sides on Monday evening.
"I'd like to thank Louis and his staff for their excellent work in
the past two years culminating in winning a record-equalling 12th FA
Cup for the club," executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said in a
statement on the website of the club owned by the American Glazer
family (www.manutd.com).
"He has behaved with great professionalism and dignity throughout
his time here. He leaves us with a legacy of having given several
young players the confidence to show their ability on the highest
stage."
 Van Gaal, though gushing in his appreciation of the chance to manage
the club, was not so happy to be moving on.
"I am very disappointed to be unable to complete our intended
three-year plan," he said.
"It has been an honor to manage such a magnificent club as
Manchester United FC, and in doing so, I have fulfilled a long-held
ambition.
"I have been privileged during my management career to have won 20
trophies but winning the FA Cup, which is steeped in so much
history, will always be one of the most special achievements of my
career."
That success, however, could not gloss over a season in which United
finished fifth in the standings, missing out on Champions League
qualification, and where dull performances had the fans booing their
own team even after victories.
DISGRUNTLED FANS
After replacing David Moyes two years ago, Van Gaal got the team
into the Champions League in his first season.
However, United's inability to produce the free-flowing soocer that
characterized Alex Ferguson's trophy-laden reign eventually caused a
rift throughout the club and in the stands.
For generations of fans brought up to expect high octane attacking
soccer, Van Gaal's stultifying approach was hard to swallow,
particularly when it did not work well, after he spent almost 300
million pounds ($434.34 million) on players.
This season's dire statistics, beyond the key one of fifth place,
are a damning indictment of the Dutchman's tactics.
United scored 49 goals in 38 games, in contrast to their previous
Premier League average of over 76 and fourth-placed Manchester
City's 71.
They had the joint-highest number of goalless draws in the division,
while Opta noted that United's 430 shots on target was 15th in the
20-team league and they made more backward passes than any other
side.
It was not just supporters who were disgruntled either.
A story in Monday's Guardian newspaper said squad members had talked
among themselves about openly defying the Dutchman's rigid tactical
directions, which allegedly included instructions to players not to
take first-time shots.
[to top of second column] |
It also reported that the two most senior players, Wayne Rooney and
Michael Carrick, had raised concerns with Van Gaal about his
post-match "evaluation sessions" in which he publicly criticized
players in front of their team mates
WIDESPREAD DISSATISFACTION
With such widespread dissatisfaction it easy to forget that the
64-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and
Netherlands coach was seen as the safe option when he was hired by
United in May 2014 following Moyes's sacking.
He got the club back in the Champions League with a fourth-place
finish but, despite heavy spending on the likes of Memphis Depay,
Anthony Martial and Bastian Schweinsteiger, United stagnated after
topping the table at the end of September.
French striker Martial apart, the new players struggled to justify
their fees, and Van Gaal increasingly turned to talented youngsters
such as Marcus Rashford, who has rapidly emerged from United's youth
team to earn a place in the England squad.
By mid-December United were out of the top four after successive
defeats by promoted clubs Bournemouth and Norwich City and they
exited the Champions League after finishing third in a modest group
behind VfL Wolfsburg and PSV Eindhoven.
At home to Southampton United were booed off the pitch and in
Denmark the supporters, already frustrated by finding their team
playing in the Europa League, chanted obscenities about how bad Van
Gaal's side were in a 2-1 loss to FC Midjytlland.
Despite recovering with a 5-1 win in the second leg, United then
lost to Liverpool in the round of 16.
A late challenge for fourth place, the Cup run and the fan-pleasing
introduction of the youngsters, bought Van Gaal time but in the
bigger picture it was not enough to change the mood.
Hovering in the background since his sacking in December has been
Mourinho, once the scourge of Old Trafford for Porto and Chelsea but
now seemingly about to be welcomed with open arms.
The Portuguese is hardly a graduate of the swashbuckling school of
soccer himself but his remarkable record of success across Europe,
combined with a larger-than-life personality, mean that, if he is
appointed, United fans will at least be able to look forward to next
season rather than dreading it.
(Editing by Ken Ferris)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
