Published 13:31 IST, May 29th 2020
Louis van Gaal claims he was let down by Manchester United on the transfer front
Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal slammed Ed Woodward claiming that he did not get the players that he demanded from the club's board.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has slammed the club's board for its transfer strategy during his time at Old Trafford. Van Gaal was appointed as Man United manager in 2014 after the sacking of David Moyes. However, his stint with the Red Devils lasted only until 2016, a mere two seasons, only to be replaced by Jose Mourinho.
Inherited an outdated squad: Louis van Gaal
While speaking to Voetbal international, former Man United manager Louis van Gaal claimed that he did not get any of the signings he asked for. He slammed the Ed Woodward-led Man United board saying that he had an outdated and aged squad at his disposal, with 10 players above the age of 30 and five players above 35. This outdated squad, Van Gaal claims, stopped Man United from winning titles.
Despite Louis van Gaal's statement slamming Ed Woodward and the Man United board, the former manager did oversee the arrival of Angel di Maria, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind, while Radamel Falcao arrived on loan. Van Gaal stated that he spoke to Ed Woodward and demanded the signing of the players of his choice, but his demands were never accepted. He claimed that the lack of quality players forced him to push his boundaries.
Man United should buy the best players in the world: Louis van Gaal
Louis Van Gaal further hit out at the Man United board and claimed that despite being one of the richest clubs in the world, with a turnover of £600 million ($740 million), the club could not sign the players that he demanded. Van Gaal asserted that they should buy the best players in the world because they are a prestigious club. He accepted that the selling club also takes advantage of the buying club's financial strength by demanding the highest price and added that this is what happened to him, and he was forced to manage the club with the players he got.
Jose Mourinho replaces Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal's time at Man United saw the Red Devils the FA Cup in his second season, while they also secured a Champions League berth in the first season. However, his failure to finish in the top four in the Premier League in the 2015-16 season cost him his job and marked Jose Mourinho's arrival. Man United fans turned on the Dutch manager for his "boring" football and also claimed that his press conferences were a lot more fun to watch than Man United's games. Despite the setbacks, Van Gaal still rates his time at Old Trafford as the greatest achievement in his career.
Updated 13:31 IST, May 29th 2020