Ex Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed his retirement from football management, Sky Sports report.
Van Gaal took over from David Moyes at Old Trafford in 2014.
It was an appointment which promised so much, and when it finally delivered a trophy in 2016, his reign ended immediately.
Van Gaal lost his first Premier League game in charge against Swansea and after the debacle against MK Dons, it was clear that he was not prepared for the uniqueness of English football.
(Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
The Dutchman could not improve United’s league position, but he did leave the club in a far better state than he found it.
In addition to winning United’s first FA Cup since 2004, Van Gaal’s reign is remembered for bringing through young players.
Paying tribute
Three United players in different circumstances all paid tribute to Van Gaal last night.
Anthony Martial was signed by Van Gaal and is part of the Dutchman’s Old Trafford legacy.
(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Bringing Marcus Rashford was one of his biggest achievements.
He brought the young striker into the first team from the academy and he is now a superstar.
Youngster Timothy Fosu-Mensah is struggling out on loan right now, but under Van Gaal he made his debut and started a FA Cup semi-final.
Thanks for everything coach !! It was a honor to learn from you! 🙌🏾 pic.twitter.com/G1dYi1UJv0
— Anthony Martial (@AnthonyMartial) March 11, 2019
Thank you for opening the door & trusting in me. Enjoy retirement boss 👌🏾 pic.twitter.com/OqrEodNlz0
— Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) March 11, 2019
I owe this man a lot. He gave me my debut at @ManUtd and I learned a lot from him. I’ll always be grateful for that. Thank you and I wish you a happy retirement👍🏾 pic.twitter.com/dufxYjiw8h
— Timothy fosu-mensah (@tfosumensah) March 11, 2019
The messages are heartfelt and genuine and show what an impact Van Gaal had at the club.
Even if results were mixed, Van Gaal left a legacy. Jose Mourinho certainly did not leave the same sort of goodwill behind him.
Our favourite Van Gaal moments at #mufc
– Winning the FA Cup
– Winning at Anfield
– Pre-season in 2014. Genuinely thought we were going to be unbeatable for real
– The high of signing Falcao
– The ‘sex masochism’ interview
– Signing Anthony Martial
– RASHFORD
– And this… pic.twitter.com/mfS9mNWQfW— United In Focus (@UnitedInFocus) March 11, 2019
