Manchester United defender Daley Blind feels Louis van Gaal deserved a lot more respect than he got towards the end of his tenure at Old Trafford.
Reports emerged minutes after the FA Cup final on Saturday that despite winning the competition, the Dutchman would be shown the door at Old Trafford and Jose Mourinho roped in as his replacement.
After an agonising couple of days Manchester United announced last night that Van Gaal and the rest of his coaching staff have been relieved of their duties and it emerged that the club took their time to make the decision official so as to afford the Dutchman the chance to leave England peacefully.
The 64-year-old was under pressure after a dismal run of form in December, and Mourinho has been linked with the Old Trafford hot seat for months, despite Van Gaal insisting that he would complete his contract.
And Blind feels despite the pressure of being a Manchester United manager, his former coach didn’t deserve the constant speculation and disrespect in his last six months at the club.
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The defender told De Telegraaf: “As a coach of a top club in England, there was always going to be pressure, but in the last six months he was not treated properly.
“I think a manager such as Louis van Gaal, who achieved so much success, deserves more respect. Despite the fact that so much was being written, he protected us and always kept us in the shade.
“I think the group of players will remain grateful towards him.”
Blind was one of the first names on the Manchester United teamsheet under Van Gaal, but it remains to be seen whether he can remain as important once Mourinho takes control of the club.
