Manchester United flop coach disses club’s ‘priorities’ years after his sacking

In this year’s ranking of the world’s most valuable football teams, Manchester United topped ($3.69B) even after spending big last summer and now their former boss Louis van Gaal is accusing them of prioritizing money over football.

He describes United as ‘a commercial club’ whose priority is money and not football but many United fans will disagree since he could not win their trust as a coach.

The 66-year-old spent two seasons as boss at Old Trafford before he was sacked and replaced by Jose Mourinho in May 2016.

In his first season, the Dutch boss successfully got United back into Champions League in 2014-15 season following a poor campaign under David Moyes where they finished seventh in the league table. United fans were relieved and believed that Van Gaal would be the perfect Fergie’s replacement.

Van Gaal also won the FA Cup in 2015-16 but failed to finish in the top four that season inflicting anger on United fans compelling them to call for his sacking with many of them citing that they were not enjoying his ‘possession’ style of football.

Speaking to Sport Bild, Van Gaal had these to say; "Manchester United, who I last coached, are a commercial club, quite different to Bayern.

"The bosses are Rummenigge and Hoeness – former players who know what they're talking about. For them, football is the most important thing, not money, as at United. 

"That's why I love Bayern."

Van Gaal also confirmed that he still has affection for Bayern where he reached the Champions League and won the domestic double in 2010. He thinks Bayern bosses Rummenigge and Hoeness are former players who prioritize football over money. However, he won’t be willing to return to Bayern if Hoeness remains the President.

Van Gaal was not big friends with Hoeness with the latter accusing him of seeing himself as ‘the father of God’ by suggesting Bayern were reverting to his old methods when they appointed Guardiola in 2013 but Van Gaal feels his work at Bayern has been justified by his impact on the careers of Phillip Lahm, Thomas Muller and David Alaba, players he gave debuts as young lads.

"As long as Uli Hoeness is at the club, I wouldn't work there," he said.

"Philipp Lahm played at left-back and I was the first to put him on the right. Then I had a huge argument with Hoeness, who wanted to have Lahm on the left.

"History proved me right: Lahm became a Champions League and World Cup-winning right-back.

"It was the same with Thomas Muller. It was the same with Alaba. Alaba is still one of the greatest talents Bayern have today." He added.

The Dutch boss surprisingly is also considered by the Chelsea board as a replacement for Antonio Conte who is likely to part ways with the club at the end of the season following poor display in recent matches.