Coach Van Gaal 'stunned' by Man Utd sacking

The Dutchman has been fired with 12 months remaining on his three-year deal, but despite months of speculation the decision has caught the man himself off guard


Louis van Gaal has been left 'stunned' by his dismissal as Manchester United manager on Monday.

The 20-time English champions parted company with the Dutchman two days after his side had clinched a first FA Cup win in 12 years, bringing to an end months of speculation regarding the former Bayern Munich boss' future.

But Goal understands that Van Gaal has revealed to members of his inner circle that the developments have come as a huge shock to him, and the usually stoic leader was said to have been left crestfallen by his sacking despite having earlier presented a brave face around the Carrington training complex.

The 64-year-old also claimed that the lack of warning from the board had led him to believe he would be allowed to continue as manager into the third and final year of the contract he signed in 2014.

Jose Mourinho, the former Chelsea boss who was Van Gaal's assistant coach at Barcelona during the Dutchman's first spell in Catalunya, is expected to be confirmed as United's new manager on Tuesday after spending five months out of the game.

During that time, his name has been regularly linked with the Old Trafford hot-seat. However, Van Gaal has regularly insisted that he sought no assurances regarding his future from the club's board and that they had made no indication that they were unhappy with his work.

As recently as Saturday, Van Gaal and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward were seen congratulating each other after the FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace, with the manager still seemingly in the dark over the club's plans to replace him.

Van Gaal was eventually told he was to be sacked on Monday morning after he had arrived at the Carrington training ground for work as usual, but Woodward's confirmation of his exit has come as a huge personal blow to the Dutchman, one year shy of his intended retirement date.

And on Monday afternoon, a black people carrier arrived to whisk Van Gaal away from United's premises for the final time, with an official statement on the sacking expected to arrive from the club in the coming hours.