By Andrew Warshaw
May 23 – He had apparently said goodbye to his staff without even having been told officially by his employers that he is surplus to requirements and is being replaced by the self-styled Special One. But according to the BBC, it is now official. Louis Van Gaal is leaving Manchester United after two years of a three-year contract and is currently discussing severance terms.
It may have been an open secret that Jose Mourinho was stepping into van Gaal’s shoes at Manchester United but the timing, as they say, stinks.
Reports that Saturday’s FA Cup final was Louis van Gaal’s last game in charge of United are expected to be confirmed by the club on Tuesday, finally condemning the Dutchman to his anticipated fate despite steering United to their first FA cup triumph in 12 years.No sooner had United beaten Crystal Palace 2-1 after extra time than it was widely reported that Van Gaal would not be seeing out the last year of his contract. He is reckoned to earn about £6.4 million a year.
As unsavoury scenarios go, it is surely up there with the most distasteful.
Defiant till the last, van Gaal, who has consistently tasted success during a long and distinguished coaching career, said he had nothing to prove as rumours about his departure intensified.
“If they want to use my knowledge, my management, I shall continue. We have proved today that we have a title, and that [the last title] was a long time ago,” he said.
At his post-match news conference, proudly showing off the most revered domestic cup trophy in world football, van Gaal had a dig at the media who have long predicted his demise. “I show you the cup. I don’t discuss [my future] with the media, who already sacked me for six months. I now have won the cup in four countries, and not many managers have done that.”
He departed in sarcastic fashion, hoisting the cup aloft and saying: “Thank you for the congratulations.”
Despite the FA cup being United’s first silverware since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson three years ago, it couldn’t save van Gaal who has paid the price for failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League after spending £250 million.
Mourinho, given his track record (apart from being sacked by Chelsea in December in his second spell at the club) seems likely to put that right. But whether he will give youth a chance, as van Gaal did, is open to question.
As is whether his style of football will appease United’s disgruntled fans, who became increasingly frustrated with van Gaal’s often colourless tactics.
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