Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal gives his players two days off training as he returns to Holland for daughter's birthday
Culled from dailymail
Manchester United training was cancelled on Sunday and Monday after boss Louis van Gaal flew home to Holland.
The
manager was left ashen-faced after the chastening defeat by Southampton
at Old Trafford on Saturday and his future at the club now looks
extremely bleak.
Van
Gaal sounded like a beaten man on Saturday before jetting off, telling
players and staff not to travel to Carrington for their standard running
drills the day after a game.
The Manchester United manager has flown home to Holland to celebrate his daughter's birthday
Ryan Giggs (right) has been linked with succeeding Van Gaal as speculation continues to surround the boss
The 64-year-old is in Holland for his daughter's birthday and, while it cannot be helped, the timing is inauspicious.
Speculation
about Van Gaal's future continues with assistant Ryan Giggs the likely
first choice if United's Dutch manager does depart.
The
decision to cancel Sunday and Monday's sessions is a surprise - even
given Van Gaal's short break away. The light hour's work on the day
following a game has been a staple of the Dutchman's reign since he took
over from David Moyes in 2014.
United
do not play until Friday night when they take on Derby County in the FA
Cup fourth round but supporters may be wondering why their manager is
not intent on correcting the weekend's ills straight away.
It
was their fifth defeat in 10 games and leaves them five points adrift
of the Champions League qualification spots. That they were unable to
capitalise on the win at Liverpool was particularly galling for fans,
who saw away goalkeeper Fraser Forster make just one save all afternoon.
United
have recorded the fewest number of home shots on target, 35, of any
team in the entire Football League and have not scored a first-half goal
in 11 matches in front of their own supporters.
Van Gaal looked and sounded like a beaten man on Saturday after United lost against Southampton
Daley Blind leads his team-mates off at full-time - and they are were not required at training for two days
Charlie Austin darts away to celebrate his winner in a game where United rarely tested Fraser Forster
Van
Gaal admitted to have failed to meet expectations at United, solemnly
declaring supporters have every right to be angry at him.
They
furiously booed him down the tunnel on Saturday, with executive
vice-chairman Ed Woodward watching keenly from the directors' box.
Woodward
has canvassed senior players about the manager’s methods following a
wretched run of form. Van Gaal has lost the support of the majority of
the players in the dressing room and the increasingly desperate
situation is forcing United’s hand.
'I'm very disappointed that I cannot reach the expectations of the fans,' the manager said.
'They
have — or they had — great expectations of me, and I cannot fulfil
them, so I am very frustrated. I agree with them, so it doesn't have any
impact (on me).
Ed Woodward watched keenly from the directors' box as United suffered another disappointing result
There remains a school of thought still that assistant Giggs is the man to be Van Gaal's successor
'They
have knowledge of football, of entertaining football, and you have to
play football to entertain the fans. Today I don't think we have
entertained the fans, so they can be very angry.'
Talk
is growing of the next role for Giggs around the club, with a school of
thought still that he is the man to be Van Gaal's successor.
The
Welshman, who ex-chief executive David Gill said on Sunday 'can't be a
No 2 forever', has always been earmarked for the job long-term.
United have another option than Giggs, though, with Jose Mourinho's interest in the job being confirmed
Supporters have been left unhappy with how Van Gaal's expensively-assembled side have performed
Yet
Jose Mourinho's confirmed interest in moving to Manchester throws a
spanner in the works, with Woodward now facing two options.
Giggs is still United’s likely first choice despite noises emanating from the Mourinho camp over the weekend.
He
saw out the remaining four games when David Moyes was fired two years
ago, but is reluctant to take the job again on an interim basis.
Now
Woodward must decide: does he stick or twist with Van Gaal - the
manager has already been afforded an extraordinary amount of time and
patience - and then who is next, with Giggs seemingly unwilling to
remain in the background for much longer and Mourinho 'desperate' to
land the post.
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