“After several games without being defeated, we lost 0-1 to Southampton in Old Trafford”.
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One day somebody at United is giving an off-the-record briefing saying that LVG did offer his resignation; the next day, another source at the club is putting a story out saying that no such offer came.
JOSE’S AGENT DENIES LETTER Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes has dismissed speculation that the former Chelsea manager has written to Manchester United to pitch himself as a replacement for embattled incumbent Louis van Gaal.
United’s players have another 24 hours to reflect on the Southampton loss after Van Gaal gave them Monday off.
He also said they were “right to boo” and added: “I’m very disappointed that I can not reach the expectations of the fans”.
MEN Sport reported that Van Gaal offered to resign during United’s disastrous December when he oversaw the Reds getting knocked out of the Champions League in Germany against Wolfsburg having been on the brink of early qualification in November against PSV Eindhoven.
“They have – or they had – great expectations of me, and I can not fulfil them”.
Van Gaal’s contract does not expire until the end of the 2016-17 season.
It’s taken an Old Trafford voice from the trophy-filled recent past to speak out in response to supporters’ concerns.
Gill, who is on the board of directors at the club, said: “We all hoped results would be better”.
The Southampton contest was the 11th straight home game in which United failed to score in the first half, and the seventh home match this season in which they did not net at all.
But it is Woodward who is exclusively responsible for Van Gaal’s future.
His style of coaching and playing football – shutting up shop and knocking the ball around unnecessarily – just doesn’t suit and team like Manchester United which is known for playing attacking and exciting football.
Ryan Giggs, van Gaal’s assistant, has had support from Ferguson in the past, even if Gill intimated on Sunday that the Welshman may have to test himself elsewhere first.
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Dissent is rife in the dressing room as frustrations continue to grow with Van Gaal’s decision-making and tactics, with senior players also sharing the same concerns and voicing their frustrations with their manager.
