MANCHESTER UNITED will ditch Louis van Gaal this summer – even if he leads them to FA Cup glory.
United’s progress to the semi-finals, and the prospect of their first trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson retired almost three years ago, has not altered the thinking among the Old Trafford hierarchy that a change is now required this summer.
And the prospect of missing out on Champions League qualification for the second time in three years, as well as the fact Van Gaal will be entering the final year of his contract, has strengthened the belief that this close-season is the right time to make that change.
With Pep Guardiola taking over at Manchester City this summer and old rivals such as Chelsea and Liverpool expected to come back strongly after difficult seasons, the Red Devils cannot risk another season of Van Gaal-led underachievement.
The Mirror reports: “The Dutchman’s strict tactical drills, over-reliance on video analysis and authoritarian approach has caused dissent among the players and seen United fall short of expectations this season.
“The drab football served up for much of the season has also seen fans call for the former Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Holland manager to go.”
Van Gaal has spent in excess of £250million on new signings since his arrival in July 2014 and the possibility of winning the FA Cup but missing out on the top four after a dismal Champions League campaign this season is nowhere near enough to justify keeping him, particularly when you factor in the dreadfully dull nature of football he has brought to Old Trafford.
Should United retain Van Gaal if he wins the FA Cup?
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