LOUIS VAN GAAL has dismissed claims Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has delivered Fergie football at Manchester United – saying he parks the bus as much as Jose Mourinho. Former United boss Van Gaal insists it is a myth Solskjaer has got the club back to the brilliant attacking football seen under Sir Alex Ferguson. The 67-year-old […]
LOUIS VAN GAAL has dismissed claims Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has delivered Fergie football at Manchester United – saying he parks the bus as much as Jose Mourinho.
Former United boss Van Gaal insists it is a myth Solskjaer has got the club back to the brilliant attacking football seen under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The 67-year-old claims the Norwegian’s tactics only remind him of one man – the boss driven out of Old Trafford before him.
Speaking to the BBC, Van Gaal said: “The coach after me [Mourinho] changed to park-the-bus tactics and played on the counter. Now there is another coach who parks the bus and plays on the counter.
“The main difference between Mourinho and Solskjaer is that Solskjaer is winning.
“It is also true that Solskjaer has changed Paul Pogba’s position and put him into an area where he is much more important.
“But the way Manchester United are playing now is not the way Ferguson played.
“It is defensive, counter-attacking football. If you like it, you like it.
“If you think it is more exciting than my boring attacking, OK. But it is not my truth.
A lot of trainers, like Mourinho, never give youngsters a chance. Yes, five minutes. Solskjaer, 10 minutes. That is not a chance. A chance is a game
Louis van Gaal
“They can also win the Champions League because they play a defensive system and it is very difficult to beat them, which, whether you like it or not, is the result of Mourinho’s work.”
One of the criticisms levelled at Mourinho during his time at Old Trafford was that he failed to bring through enough young players into the first team.
In defiance, the Portuguese manager claimed Van Gaal was no better – and that he had only thrown Marcus Rashford into his side because he was desperate.
Van Gaal countered: “I read something from Mourinho saying I only did that out of necessity. Not true. I created the necessity.
“Manchester United had over 30 players. I brought them back to 23. Then I had an open selection for the youth academy. I did that at every club.
“That is why a lot of young players have made their debuts with me.
“A lot of trainers, like Mourinho, never give youngsters a chance. Yes, five minutes. Solskjaer, 10 minutes. That is not a chance. A chance is a game.”
