Upon his arrival at Manchester United, tales of Louis van Gaal’s contempt for journalists were a key part of his legend.
– INSTAGRAM: Most followed players on social media tool
One Dutch scribe has been blacklisted by the manager for more than 15 years for continual criticism of his methods and being seen as an ally of Van Gaal’s sworn enemy, Johan Cruyff.
Others were regularly met with derision whenever questioning went beyond what Van Gaal was wholly comfortable with. However, in his 18 months in Manchester the treatment dished out has, on the whole, been relatively mild.
“Stupid” may be one of his favourite adjectives when it comes to responding to certain questions but outside of claiming a journalist this year was “deaf” for repeatedly asking about Manchester United’s botched move for Pedro and the infamous diagrams he handed out in the wake of Sam Allardyce’s claim that United were a long-ball team, it hasn’t exactly been vintage Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Sun apologise to Louis van Gaal… sort of pic.twitter.com/8m5zsw6NKj
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) December 23, 2015
Which is why Wednesday’s early exit at Carrington gave some a sense of relief, as there were signs of the old Louis. It may, to a degree, provoke a certain siege mentality among supporters.
Some United fans on social media were quick to praise him for going on the front foot in light of the speculation about his job. It also means we are all currently talking about Louis van Gaal, as opposed to Manchester United being winless in six matches.
But while the 64-year-old calmly rose from his chair and walked out just five minutes into previewing Saturday’s clash at Stoke, he carried the impression more of despair than defiance.
Vintage Van Gaal would have been hostile and cutting, reveling in the verbal on slaught unleashed on the waiting press pack. Instead, he had nothing to give other than a clearly-rehearsed routine. There was anger, yes, but little fire or fight.
He must have anticipated a severe interrogation regarding his future, especially with so little public response from United regarding the uncertainty of his position. True, the club don’t necessarily have to say anything but a statement on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday from Ed Woodward would have ended all the wicked whispers and conjecture which was subsequently created and allowed to fester over three days.
A black hole of news was filled by rumour and led to what happened on Wednesday as he demanded an apology from journalists who, for all the suspicions about their intentions, ultimately, just wanted the situation clarified. Instead, Woodward and the rest of the United hierarchy left Van Gaal to do the clearing up. A job, it appears, he didn’t want. Giving the impression of a manager cut loose, left to fend on his own.
And while Van Gaal is an individual who can more than handle himself in such circumstances, in the current situation a bit of support from above wouldn’t have gone amiss.
What’s increasingly damning is that his press conferences and the debate surrounding his potential departure have become far more interesting than the football United have been playing. There is an eerie echo to the situation that prompted his dismissal from Bayern Munich in April 2011 as then-chairman Uli Hoeness said: “football should be enjoyable, but there has been nothing enjoyable about football at FC Bayern for a while now.”
Hoeness also revealed the row between the board and Van Gaal over the Dutchman’s refusal to green light a move for Manuel Neuer (yes, really) before adding, “to say that he had the players behind him was a myth. You get the feeling one or two of the players were paralysed by fear in recent weeks. They have worn a mental straitjacket for months.”
It’s a quote that can be easily attributed to Manchester United in 2015. Just four goals scored at Old Trafford since October have fuelled growing disquiet in the stands of a traditionally-patient fanbase.
Inside the dressing room, players grow tired and frustrated of the paralysis by analysis employed by Van Gaal and his insistence upon meeting after meeting.
With the football on the field turgid, a dressing room appearing increasingly disinterested and the men at the top distant from their manager, maybe Wednesday’s walk off was a sign that time is up.
