Louis Van Gaal has revealed the reason Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward gave him for his sacking at Old Trafford.
Despite winning the FA Cup with United in 2016, Van Gaal and his staff were sacked just two days later and replaced by Jose Mourinho.
Veteran Dutch manager Van Gaal, who this week announced his retirement from football, says Woodward justified his decision by using the 67-year-old’s retirement plans against him.
“I can imagine Woodward chooses Mourinho,” Van Gaal told the BBC.
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“He is a top coach. He has won a lot of titles. More than me.
“What I don’t like is Woodward contacting my successor, knowing in his mind he will replace me and he keeps his mouth shut for six months. Every Friday I had to go into press conferences and be asked what I thought about the rumours. What does that do to the authority of the coach?
“To win the FA Cup when, for six months, the media has a noose round my neck, is my biggest achievement.
“I spoke to Woodward the day after that game. His argument was that I was only going to be there for one more year and Mourinho would be there for three, four or five. I appreciate he hired a private plane to get me back to Portugal but his arguments were not good enough.”