Too little too late for that now - http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/louis-van-gaal-says-sorry-7238224
Fair play to him for he has tried to follow in the footsteps of SAF. Man U will be an EXTREMELY difficult job for any coach to attempt and my hat comes off to the 64 year old Dutchman for trying. Success is what we all want for our teams and it's hard enough to get to the top but to stay there is even harder. You were accustomed to the most unbelievable success at Trafford and now it's nigh on impossible to be without it. Even success brings a huge amount of pressure. I remember one year you were disappointed because you won the Capital One and finished second, most teams' supporters would give their right arms for that. I'm sad to see Utd in this position as you are not a rival team for my team Spurs but all isn't lost. Often a long spell it takes two or three attempts to find the right man.
I agree. Both of us want success for our teams. I feel a little bit pity for LVG after reading the article. It can be a devastating feeling when you did not achieve what is expected from you. So this will be a challenge to the next person taking the job on how far he can get the player and surpass the expectation from the fan that LVG failed to do so. But whatever it is, we cannot blame the fan for expecting too much. Maybe he should really retire now. He is already old.
You have to be able to seperate the man from the job. I feel for LvG in the same way that I felt for Moyes - undoubtedly decent guys both of them, undoubtedly they both wanted to be a success as manager and wanted continued success for the club. That said, LvG was brought in to do a job - a job that has proved to be beyond him - and no amount of apologising and whining to the press will alter that fact. Having reccognised and admitted his failings he should go rather than prolong the situation.
Think about it though, at his age, what other big football management job is he going to get, especially on the back of this, less than successful, stint at United. Why would he quit? He is probably close to retirement, if I were him, I'd think "**** it, let them sack me, so they have to pay me off". He has one year left on his contract right? Would you throw away a years salary out of some misplaced sense of honour? Especially when, if he is retiring soon, he will have a much reduced income for him and his wife in their old age.
He has already said this would be his last management job and I don't think that Mr & Mrs LvG will be scrimping on means tested benefits in their old age. Once he 'retires' he will be straight into book writing, speaking tours, seminars etc - so the pension won't be too shabby.
Well obviously we have no idea what kind of pensions or savings he has gotten, or what kind of post retirement plans he has. One would assume, as you say, that he won't struggle. My point is still relevant though, its his last job, and he has one year left on his contract, a years salary worth millions of pounds. If you know you are retiring, and this is your last pay day, why would you throw it away? To please some other people? No....They will have to sack him... LvG ISNT a United fan, this is his job.
Best case scenario is he negotiates to "resign" with a payoff of just 80% of his remaining contract or something
Thought he should have taken the Spurs job which I think would have suited him better. Now we shall never know.
Yeah probably. Anyone with sense would stand their ground and say "If you want me out you will have to buy me out!" and anyone saying any different is talking BS.
In relative terms the cost of paying off what remains of LvG's contract will be peanuts compared to the cost of what the club stands to lose if we don't make 4th spot. Another failure to achieve CL football could cost the club in excess of £140million in lost prize money, TV rights and the 2016 Adidas sponsorship payment - so £4 or £5 mill to be rid of LvG is nothing. This whole issue is building a head of steam and has the stench of inevitability to it. We have the fans in open revolt, we have members of the board of directors voicing concerns as well as our principal sponsor. Will the board wait until it is mathematically impossible to achieve 4th spot - I doubt it, so everything points to the need for a marked improvement in the next 3 or 4 games (only 15 PL fixtures remain) which is becoming less and less likely as our injuries mount. If it comes to it, getting kicked out of the FA Cup could be the last straw so Derby is a must win game.
I am happy that I am not obsessed with football. Fans in open revolt? Are you exaggerating there glazer?
It's not an exaggeration, no. Clearly those who pay a **** load of money to attend games want a bit of value for their money. As you're not obsessed by football perhaps you don't get that. Some people are obsessed though and pay extortionate amounts, compared to how much it used to cost, to attend games. Booing is a very, very extreme and last resort way to get your point across. I actually think the crowd has been patient beyond belief but has now, with some justification, had enough.
I have no sympathy for incompetence. In his job or mine. He is not some rookie, but a seasoned professional. If you want to feel for anyone, feel for the fans who are spending bundles having that coward stealing a wage. I dont begrudge his failures, but I do begrudge the manner of the football he serves up. Complete cowardice. As they say, better to live one day as a lion than a thousand years as sheep.
I pity him because he is branded as failure but I don't pity him on the results and not doing his responsibility well.
