Firebrand football manager Louis van Gaal says he is “most likely done as a coach” but would step back into the ring for one exception: a chance to get back at Manchester United.
“I most likely won’t coach any club again,” Van Gaal, nicknamed the “Iron Tulip”, told popular daily tabloid De Telegraaf.
“But if I do, it has to be a large English club, because I have unfinished business with Manchester United.”
The Red Devils unceremoniously sacked Van Gaal last year after an uninspiring stint at Old Trafford despite winning the FA Cup – United’s first major silverware since the retirement of legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
De Telegraaf said Van Gaal in particular expressed “rancour” at United’s top boss Ed Woodward.
This despite the fact that, the paper pointed out, that Woodward allowed Van Gaal “to spend 350 million euros to handpick his team, as well as a paying him a handsome salary and release fee”.
Dutch media reports said earlier this year that Van Gaal had received several lucrative offers after leaving United, including a three-year, multi-million-euro contract in the Far East, most likely China.
Flamboyant and outspoken, Van Gaal said in mid-January that he was quitting, but changed his tune just two days later, saying instead that he was taking a year-long sabbatical.
“Then I will decide. It depends also on the offers I get,” Van Gaal said at the time.
‘I would rather watch City play than United’
Last week Van Gaal had labelled current manager Jose Mourinho’s football style as “far more boring” than his possession-based football that had drawn considerable criticism during his time at United.
“I would rather watch City play than United,” Van Gaal was quoted as saying by Fox Sports. “You need quality in a squad and it’s clear City have a better squad.”
“If you ask me how did I do at United, I will say it was my best year ever, given the circumstances I was working under,” Van Gaal said. “We played football that was quite alright. But it’s not football that is appreciated in England.”
He added, “And yet, right now, looking at United, I have to conclude Mourinho is not being criticised while it’s far more boring football. What United produce now is defensive football. I always played attacking football. The proof is that the opposition were always parking the bus. They don’t do that now because Jose Mourinho plays so defensive.”
