Rojo Defends Relationship With Louis van Gaal

Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo insists he has a good relationship with Louis van Gaal and rumours of a rift between the pair are false.

Rojo reportedly fell out with the Dutchman after a passport issue saw him miss the club's pre-season tour of the United States.

That was exacerbated when the 25-year-old failed to disclose the extent of a hamstring injury that saw him taken off against Southampton in September and subsequently miss several games.

Fit again, Rojo has started United's last seven matches and says his relationship with Van Gaal is like that of his previous managers.

"It is normal, as with any other coach," Rojo said after starting Argentina's 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Colombia.

"I don't ask him why he includes me in a game when I play, so I don't have any right in ask him why I don't play when he decides that I don't have to do it. It's as simple as that.

"Van Gaal does the same as any coach in the world. He decides who plays according to what he sees during the week, he chooses the players that he sees in the best condition and we have to accept all the decisions that the coach takes".

Rojo defended Van Gaal's ruthless management style that has seen the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach clash with a number of players in the past.

"He is a very professional coach, he wants to get out the very best from each one, that doesn't mean that he is rough," he said.

"He wants his work to have success and we have to understand what he expects from each one of us."

The defender also denied reports he missed Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay last month at the request of his club manager.

"Those are all lies, Van Gaal will never ask me or any other player to do something like that," he said.

Credit: Skysports.com