LVG Makes Peace With Jose

Louis van Gaal appears to have made peace with Manchester United successor Jose Mourinho while criticising the club’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

The Dutchman spent two seasons at Old Trafford but was sacked the day after winning the FA Cup in 2016 and last year said his exit from the club and Mourinho's subsequent appointment was "not elegant at all".

Van Gaal met Mourinho at Anfield earlier this season as United drew with Liverpool and claimed that the Portuguese allows himself to get "out of control" too often, but now says he understands that every manager would want the Manchester United job.

"I am not disappointed with Jose Mourinho. Every coach wants to train Manchester United, it's one of the biggest clubs in the world," he told Sport Bild.

"I think Jose wanted that, too, and although he was able to do so in 13th place, he had a chance on a fantastic team like Chelsea. I was in fourth place! I still do not blame him.

"What I find wrong is when a CEO says we're totally happy with you, do not believe the press. Then you win the FA Cup and still be fired."

Van Gaal also believes that Pep Guardiola, with whom he won two La Liga titles during his time at Barcelona, is currently the best manager in England and says he would have liked to have moulded his United side into a team which plays similar football to City.

"Pep Guardiola is, for me, currently the best coach of the Premier League," Van Gaal said. "Pep made City a machine.

"He shows a football that I would have liked to play at Manchester United. But he has better players for it. For me, the process would have taken longer. Unfortunately, I did not get the time."

Credit: Skysports.com