Louis van Gaal walks out of Manchester United press conference after five minutes
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Updated 23/12/2015 at 21:04 GMT
Louis van Gaal unleashed a withering condemnation of the media before dramatically walking out of his weekly press briefing.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal
Image credit: AFP
The fraught Manchester United manager’s job is in serious jeopardy following a miserable run of results, with Jose Mourinho emerging as a potential successor after Chelsea culled him last week.
Van Gaal, grimly surveying those huddled in the Carrington conference room, requested an apology from the press before reluctantly fielding two questions.
"Has anybody in this room not a feeling to apologise to me? Nobody has that feeling? That’s what I’m wondering," said Van Gaal, before a journalist piped up asking what the media had done wrong.
"I think I was already sacked, I read. I have been sacked. My colleague [Mourinho] was here already.
What do you think happens with my wife or my kids? Or with my grandchildren? Or with the fans of Manchester United? Or my friends? What do you think?
"They have called me a lot of times and also Arsene Wenger is saying something about that.
"Do you think that I want to talk with the media now? I am here only because of the Premier League rules. I have to talk with you. But I can only see when I say something that you use my words in your context. And I want to say only I have tried to lift the confidence of my players. I have done everything this week.
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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal
Image credit: PA Photos
"I held meetings with the players with my members of staff, I held a Christmas lunch, I did a speech and I feel the warmth and support of everybody in Carrington.
"But I didn’t feel that in the media and of course I can imagine that you can write about that subject.
We are not in a good position but four weeks ago we were first in the Premier League and in four weeks’ time we can be back in that position again.
Should Manchester United fire Louis van Gaal?
Van Gaal then dismissed a question about whether speculation was simply inevitable at a huge club like United.
"No I don’t think that you can do that because you have to stick by the facts and when I get calls off Alex Ferguson and David Gill and Ed Woodward because you are creating something that is not good, what is not being the facts, now I have to answer questions. I don’t think I want to do it.
"I only say now I am focused on Stoke City, I help my players. I wish you a Merry Christmas and also maybe a Happy New Year when I see you.
Enjoy the wine and a mince pie. Goodbye.
He then walked out – the awkward monologue clocking at four minutes and 58 seconds.
OUR VIEW
Oh dear.
The fact the Dutchman was wheeled out for the pre-Christmas briefing suggests he will survive until Boxing Day – and presumably the visit of Chelsea on the 28th – but any longer? His disgruntled tone suggests not.
Jose Mourinho is available. It’s an opportunity that has presented itself at an optimum time, so why not give him a shot? The mood is already stale at Old Trafford. It can’t get much worse.
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