Just about every soccer manager tries to keep the job he has, but few have struggled so mightily only to fail in the end like Louis van Gaal.
Manchester United dismissed van Gaal on Monday amid much fanfare, furor and intrigue. Van Gaal led the Red Devils to victory Sunday in the FA Cup final, but their first trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013 wasn’t enough to keep van Gaal in the dugout.
Let’s take a look at why.
In defense of van Gaal
Results and performances over the course of the Dutchman’s two-year tenure weren’t good enough to keep him in place for the third and final year of his contract, but his spell wasn’t a complete failure.
The Red Devils finished seventh the season before van Gaal arrived, and he instantly returned them to fourth place and the UEFA Champions League. However, van Gaal couldn’t secure those gains due to forces both within and beyond his control.
The FA Cup will add shine to van Gaal’s resume, and the club should reap the rewards for his work in educating and promoting young players for years to come.
Player discontent
The Guardian’s Daniel Taylor and The Independent’s Mark Ogden on Sunday both published stories, which detail grievances Manchester United players had with van Gaal. They include discomfort with tactics, harsh public and private criticisms, his prohibition on first-time shots and his coddling of the likes of Memphis Depay and Bastian Schweinsteiger among others. More than two players reportedly would have demanded transfers this summer if van Gaal remained in charge.
Both Taylor’s and Ogden’s accounts paint the picture of a “mutinous” dressing room and are well worth reading.
Money, numbers talk
Van Gaal’s teams play his way, for better or for worse. Manchester United was a case of the latter in 2015-16, playing boring soccer for much of the campaign. And this simply didn’t satisfy the public demands of a club rooted in the tradition of playing attacking soccer.
The 49 goals Manchester United scored this season in the Premier League were its lowest totals since the 1989-90 season. Goals, shots and shots per game also dropped to generational lows, and fans, pundits and even sponsors criticized Manchester United’s style of play throughout the season.
In van Gaal’s two seasons, Manchester United spent £258.7 million ($374 million) on new players. Rather than producing an exciting team that challenges for major trophies, van Gaal’s Red Devils faded from the Premier League title race early, crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage and failed to qualify for next year’s edition.
Van Gaal didn’t deliver enough value for money.
Jose Mourinho availability
Van Gaal’s job was under threat from the moment Chelsea fired Mourinho in mid-December. The Portuguese tactician is one of the leading managers of his era, and Manchester United appear ready to give him the reigns now rather than risk another disappointing season under van Gaal.
Mourinho’s charm offensive and Manchester United’s secret pursuit of his services over the last four months also helped destabilize van Gaal’s Red Devils.
Mourinho wanted to replace Ferguson three years ago, but Manchester United opted for another options — reportedly due to concerns over his behavior, track record in developing young players, club-hopping tendencies and the desire of some inside the club to appoint former playing legend and current assistant manager Ryan Giggs as Ferguson’s long-term heir.
But that was then, and this is now for both the master, van Gaal, and his one-time apprentice, Mourinho.
Thumbnail photo via Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports Images
