Van Gaal Urges Fans To Boo Him Not The Players

Van Gaal Urges Fans To Boo Him Not The Players

Following Manchester United’s Champions League win over CSKA Moscow in the week where the fans jeered Louis Van Gaal’s decision on 65 minutes to replace Anthony Martial with Marouane Fellaini, the manager has encouraged the disgruntled fans to criticise him and to leave the players to get on with playing as the Guardian reported. Van Gaal has had a pretty easy ride of it so far during his United tenure as he has enjoyed pretty much unconditional support from the United faithful. That support was just starting to waver slightly following the 3 games without a goal as the team was approaching a fourth game without bulging the net on Tuesday night however.

Speaking after the game and to address the first signs of discontent from the supporters the manager said, “I think the supporters have to support the players, otherwise they make it very difficult for the players to play at Old Trafford. Until now they were fantastic so I cannot complain about the fans. I can only advise the fans to criticise the manager and not the players. It’s very difficult to play for Manchester United with a lot of pressure and when you can taste that in Old Trafford because of all the yelling, then it’s not good for all my players.

“It’s better to whistle at the manager. I can cope with it because I have had a lot of experience in it in my life as a manager.”


As the press conference continued, the Dutchman focused on the United win, which was their first over CSKA Moscow and Van Gaal went on to say: “I think we have attacked 85 minutes of the 90 minutes so we have given a lot of entertainment and it’s dependable of the goals. When the goals are falling much faster then everyone is happy. When you analyse the games you know it’s difficult to disorganise a team with 10 men behind the ball.

“You have to take that into the account always. When you have two teams who are attacking it’s more easy to score goals. That’s why trainer-coaches play these tactics against us because then we have more difficulties and they are counting always on the counterattacks and putting players in who are fast.

“Nevertheless, CSKA Moscow tried this tactic but only created one chance so I’m very happy with our defensive organisation and very happy with the way we have attacked because at end we have won against a very difficult team.

“I didn’t know but I read the history of CSKA – they had played last year against Manchester City, 1-2 they won [at the Etihad]. Even in golden age of Manchester United they could not win at home: 1-3 and a lucky 3-3 at Old Trafford. So we have made history.”

Clearly Louis Van Gaal is an experienced manager who will have made many more allies in the dressing room after this week where he showed to players some of whom may not be his favourites or may not like him too much that he has their backs. According to emerging youngster Jesse Lingard, Van Gaal told the players to ignore boos from fans.

Hopefully, United can avoid any reasons for booing and end their poor run of form against West Brom and bang in a hatful of goals which are certainly overdue to be scored by United.