Southampton manager Ronald Koeman feels his compatriot Louis van Gaal deserves credit for maintaining his composure in his last few months at Manchester United.
The Dutchman was sacked by Manchester United on Monday evening despite just winning the FA Cup last Saturday and Jose Mourinho was announced as his successor on Friday.
Van Gaal’s future at the club had been questioned since December, when Manchester United’s form nosedived alarmingly and Mourinho became available after he was sacked at Chelsea for a poor start to the season.
Koeman indicated that Van Gaal might have been aware of any background talks regarding Mourinho and despite a few questionable media gaffes, he feels that the former Ajax boss deserves immense credit for finishing the season with a piece of silverware at Old Trafford.
Koeman told De Telegraaf: “When you are around football you know that these kinds of deals don’t happen over a matter of days.
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“Louis had been under a tremendous amount of pressure for months, therefore, I find it amazing that he remained within himself despite all the talk.
"Of course he had a few run-ins with the media, and I think a few things could have been done differently.
“But Louis was being Louis, and then he said goodbye with a trophy, which I think is a great achievement.”
Van Gaal is currently holidaying in the Algarve, Portugal and despite his previous assertions, many of his close associates feel he will not retire from football management after leaving Manchester United.
