Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher surprisingly admitted that he ‘loved’ seeing Louis van Gaal’s incredible theatrics during the Dutchman’s time as Manchester United manager.
Louis van Gaal succeeded David Moyes as Manchester United head coach in 2014 after he led the Netherlands to a third-place finish at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The 72-year-old Dutchman was in charge at Old Trafford for only two seasons, with Van Gaal’s football at United often negatively criticised for being too boring.
However, Van Gaal had his fair share of success at United, including a top-four Premier League finish in his debut season with the Red Devils.
The former Netherlands boss’ time at United came to an end after the 2015-16 season, with the Red Devils finishing outside of the Premier League top four.
Van Gaal successfully led the Red Devils to the FA Cup trophy in 2016, but his only major piece of silverware at Old Trafford was not enough to save his United career.
The ex-Bayern Munich and Ajax manager was dismissed from his post as United manager in 2016, with Jose Mourinho arriving at Old Trafford as his replacement.
Wayne Rooney, who was appointed Manchester United captain under Louis van Gaal, featured on the latest episode of the Stick to Football show.
Joined by Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Jamie Carragher and Jill Scott, Rooney opened up about his time at United and the different managers he played under at the club.
The 38-year-old United legend, who raised his one concern with Erik ten Hag’s team, candidly chatted about his relationship with former Red Devils boss Van Gaal.
Despite receiving heavy criticism for his style of play at United, Van Gaal produced some hilarious – and memorable – moments thanks to his bubbly personality.
Carragher admitted that he adored Van Gaal’s personality and the Dutchman’s “screaming and shouting” at United’s Player of the Year awards night in 2015.
Speaking on The Overlap, he said: “He was a character, though, wasn’t he?
“I used to love… You know on a Friday when all the managers’ interviews used to come in, I would honestly think I’ve got to see Van Gaal’s interview.
“He would always say something mad. What was the… do Man United have an awards thing at the end of the season?
“When he’s on the stage and had a few bevvies [beers], hasn’t he? And he’s screaming and shouting and that. Oh, I love Van Gaal.”
Rooney on Van Gaal’s ‘brilliant’ personality
Rooney was an influential figure in the United locker room for Van Gaal and United’s all-time record scorer admitted that the Dutchman had a “brilliant personality.”
The former England and United striker revealed that he “loved” the former Red Devils boss’ training regime at Old Trafford.
“I thought he was a brilliant personality and there are some stories from his time at the club, which I can’t say,” Rooney said.
“His methods were difficult in how we worked off the pitch, but I loved his training.
“Every day, we would finish training and would have to wait 90 minutes until we could have our food, then you have your food where one table goes up to get it at a time, with the staff table going up last, and then you’d have to wait for the manager to finish his food, and he’d have a three-course meal every day.
“When he finished his meal, he’d stand up and make a speech every day, and then we could leave.
“Before we left, he would then ask to speak to players individually and he would do it in order of seniority, so you had players sat outside his office waiting to be called in, one by one.
“I did say to him once that the players had gone and that he needed to change this process because it was getting difficult.
“Towards the end, Louis asked me how he could change to get the players back on side, but unfortunately, it was too late by then.”
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