‘Stop living in the past’
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has lashed out at the club’s fans and has demanded they stop living in the past.
The Dutchman has come under severe questioning in recent weeks, with his tactics and style of play being questioned and judged by the club’s fans.
United are getting the reputation of being boring, something they were never branded under Sir Alex Ferguson, but Van Gaal has hit back at his critics, including his own fans.
The latest onslaught of criticism came after United dropped out of the Champions League and entered the Europa League, and Van Gaal admitted that he’s struggling to meet expectations at Old Trafford because the fans keep leaving in the past.
Van Gaal Fights Back
He said: “The problem is that we have to meet the expectations. And the expectations at a club like this are very high.
“But you have to analyse the club now. You cannot compare it with five or 10 years ago, because there is an evolution in European football. They say Manchester United has to win [titles] but that is the past.”
He then added: “It is more of a problem in the outside world than inside the club. No, I don’t have any doubts about my ability. I have read that I am 64 and I am too old. But only last year I was good enough to get Holland to third place at the World Cup.
“I read the same things – that my touch had gone – 20 years ago when I was at Barcelona and we went out at the group stage but we went on to win La Liga. It is always like that. I cannot change that. I cannot change what is in people’s mind. I can only say the facts.
“The facts are this – we are out of the group stage and, yes, I am very sorry. But I have done everything I could. My players have done everything they could. My board, I think, have also done everything.
“We are all working very hard but the problem is that we have to meet the expectations. And the expectations at a club like this are very high. But you have to analyse the club now. You cannot compare it with five or 10 years ago, because there is an evolution in football and in European football. They say Manchester United has to win [titles] but that is the past.
“I had the task when I came here to improve the club and win the title, when it is possible. We are in that process, but when I say that, I know I will face criticism that ‘football is not a process’ and things like that.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
