Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was in no mood to answer questions about his future at the club following speculation in the press that former Chelsea FC manager José Mourinho was speaking to the Premier League giants as a potential successor to the Dutchman in the summer.
The Red Devils have been in recovery mode over the past few games, and there was once again plenty of cause for optimism in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. However, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal was forced to answer questions in the post-match press conference on the subject of his potential departure in the summer to make way for José Mourinho.
The Portuguese manager has reportedly been in touch with the Premier League giants but Van Gaal was understandably not very pleased with this line of questioning. The Dutchman is under a contract with United till 2017, and although the plan may have been for someone like Ryan Giggs to take over following Van Gaal’s three-year spell at the club, a failure to finish in the top four could make executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward re-evaluate the situation.
Quizzed regarding the rumours linking Mourinho with United, Van Gaal appeared to lose his cool at one reporter in particular, and is quoted by the Guardian as saying: “You have spoken with [United’s executive vice-chairman] Ed Woodward? Why do they have to deny? I don’t interfere neither [sic]. Why do the club have to deny it when you are creating stories. OK, OK, so you haven’t spoken to Ed Woodward or [United’s owners] the Glazers, so you are inventing this story.
“I don’t have to answer this question. You are getting the sack tomorrow. What is your name? Then I can announce the name also. [You can] look at your wife, or maybe you have children, or a nephew or something like that.”
Louis van Gaal hits out at media over Mourinho to Manchester United links https://t.co/0BE1YiVKbg #mufchttps://t.co/OZT6iLJJHL
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) February 8, 2016
Van Gaal future at Manchester United hanging by a thread
Manchester United currently sit six points off fourth-placed Manchester City, and given the quality and consistency of the teams above them, the Red Devils could very realistically finish outside the top four and miss out on Champions League next season. In such a scenario, it is almost certain that Louis van Gaal will be given his marching orders in the summer.
Even if United scrape a fourth-place finish, the abject performance of the team in the Champions League combined with the ambition Manchester City have shown to get a coach like Pep Guardiola might convince Ed Woodward to bring Mourinho to the club while the two-time Champions League winner is still there for the taking.
