10 Things Man Utd Want You To Forget About Louis Van Gaal
7. Endured An Unsuccessful And Shortlived Second Stint At Barcelona
Not many managers have taken charge of Barcelona on two separate stints, but Manchester United will want to play down how toxic Van Gaal's return was with the La Liga giants. Arguably at the lowest ebb in his career, Van Gaal was given a lifeline to return to former side Barcelona following his disappointing spell with Netherlands. Due to how his first stint ended in Spain, it was a big shock Barcelona re-appointed him, and even more surprising that the 63-year-old would accept their proposal. The gamble didnt pay off either, with the Dutchman lasting just seven months in the role after suffering a host of poor results. Van Gaal resigned, leaving Barcelona shockingly just three points above the relegation zone and 20 points adrift of the league leaders. He drew criticism for making a selection of failed signings (Robert Enke, Gaizka Mendieta and Juan Riquelme), and releasing Rivaldo despite the Brazilian having a year left on his deal. Van Gaal left Barcelona with his reputation in tatters, and his past accomplishments almost irrelevant. Understandably, he wasnt too heavily coveted by clubs following such a turbulent few years in management.
Crippy Cooke, 23, is a freelance Football Writer contributing to What Culture. He's had work featured on Zoo, MSN, London 24, The Telegraph, The Huffington Post, and was recently named Writer of the Year on FTBpro - while also a nominee for Best Male Blog in the Football Blogging Awards.
