Manchester United Squad Reportedly Unhappy with Louis Van Gaal Training Methods
Manchester United's players are reportedly discontented at manager Louis van Gaal's approach and are bored with the tactics and training methods of the Dutchman's regime.
Neil Custis of the Sun, writing under the headline "Manchester United players are bored of Louis van Gaal’s training methods," reported the team are unhappy with life at Old Trafford and a malaise is passing throughout the squad.
Custis wrote:
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"He (Van Gaal) can point to a CV of success that backs up his stringent philosophy and, of course, the current Premier League table in which his side sit a point off the top.
But the players and supporters are not happy.
The structure and training around matches remains the same every week and it is starting to get the players down.
"
Under Van Gaal, United have recovered some of the ground lost during the transitional reign of former manager David Moyes, whose tactics took the Red Devils from champions to seventh place in the Premier League in 12 months.
The Dutchman has spent a fortune on new talent during the three transfer windows he has overseen, but the entertainment value has not increased at Old Trafford.
However, United are now stable. Van Gaal has coached his defence into great shape, and he has developed Chris Smalling into one of the best centre-backs in Europe.
But the Dutchman's team do not have the traditional goal threat of previous incarnations at Old Trafford, and it appears the players have a lack motivation to step through the gears in matches.
Dutch legend Willem van Hanegem—a member of the Netherlands side that reached the 1974 World Cup final—recently criticised his compatriot's methodology and proclaimed United's current style makes him want to cry, as reported by Adrian Kajumba of the Mirror:
"PSV definitely got a good result against Manchester United (last week, 0-0) although we do not have to exaggerate.
Saturday (against Leicester) I again looked at Manchester and I see that team play and (they make) tears shoot from my eyes.
If you can spend £300 million, then you do not buy such a bunch of cake bakers.
Van Gaal is a good trainer when his team get results because then everything is accepted. Look at Holland in the World Cup.
Perhaps it (his football) does not matter to others, as long as it yields points. I do not think so. I am a lover (of football). Van Gaal takes the fun away from the people.
"
Van Gaal's tactics saw the swift exit of Angel Di Maria, who was considered one of the world's best players while dancing through defences at Real Madrid. However, the manager's style did not suit a flair player of his standing, and he was soon sold to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Red Devils continue to compete at the correct end of the Premier League, but they have now recorded four goalless draws in their last eight games in all competitions, per Kajumba. The team are also the lowest scorers in the league's top five sides, hitting only 20 goals in 14 games.
This return would have been unthinkable under former boss Sir Alex Ferguson, but there is a realisation that much work needs to be done to reach the heights of past seasons.
Van Gaal's previous teams have always been laden with pragmatism, but he has taken this element to new levels in England.
United refuse to take risks to score goals, and this goes against the deep-rooted philosophy of the club.
United fans wish to see success brought back to the north-west in the near future, but it is questionable if they will sacrifice the foundations the club has been built on for many generations.
Van Gaal's tenure will be limited unless his players can add excitement to their football, but it looks highly unlikely this term.
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