Louis van Gaal breaks tradition by not inviting rival managers for post-match drink
The tradition followed by managers in English Premier League to welcome the visiting team managers for a post-match drink has been broken by the current Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal.
Sam Allardyce, the West Ham coach said that he was ‘saddened’ and ‘suprised’ when he was not asked to share a glass of wine after his team had lost to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The Red Devils won the home game agaisnt the Hammers 2-1 on matchday 6.
Age old tradition broken
The 59-year-old wrote in the Evening Standard,
"I always invite the visiting manager into my office for a drink and a chat after a home game. It’s a valued tradition as far as I and most managers are concerned, a chance to have a private conversation and wind down."Which is why I was surprised and, yes, disappointed, that there was no such invitation following our match at Old Trafford last weekend.
When all was done and dusted after the match, I went to where Sir Alex Ferguson was invariably waiting with a glass of wine — and everything had changed. I think the room is now used for analysis.
"I was told it didn’t happen any more, so I said “fair enough” and left. Louis van Gaal has every right to do things his way now, he’s the manager of Manchester United, but it struck a discordant note with me all the same.”
Big Sam remarked that things had changed since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down from Old Trafford and was shocked to learn that the Dutch Coach chose the room, which previoulsyplayed host to the managerial drinks tradition, was turned into a post-match analysis centre.
The 59-year-old Worcestershire born manager also told his fellow managers that they shouldn’t also expect much from Van Gaal because he is on a mission to rebuild the United team to make them into title contenders or atleast qualify for the Champions League in his first season.