Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal insists that Pep Guardiola’s expected arrival to English football next season does not worry him.
The current Bayern Munich manager said on Tuesday that he will be leaving the German giants in the summer to pursue a managerial role in England, with Manchester City clear favourites to land the Spaniard’s services.
Old Trafford has been mentioned as a possible destination for the 44-year-old, but van Gaal is not worried by the prospect of Guardiola taking over, having eased the pressure on himself recently with a goalless draw with Chelsea and a narrow victory over Swansea in United’s past two Premier League games.
In his pre-match press conference ahead of the Reds’ FA Cup tie against Sheffield United on Wednesday, the United manager said:
I’m at the end of my career so for me it’s not so interesting. For me, it’s interesting how I take care of Manchester United and after this season, I still have one year to go. You know that.
I said when I came here. Still the same goals. I have received a contract of three years and these are same goals as when I came here.
Van Gaal was also asked in the press conference whether it was right for Guardiola to announce his plans mid-season when it would also impact on the future of other Premier League managers. He replied:
Yes, but every manager has the right to announce that. It’s not for sure he will be the manager of a Premier League club because the club are also part of a contract, so he has to move here.
It’s not so strange. You have to set always your goals as a manager also. Some people are looking a little bit strange to that fact but that’s good because managers also have ambition and Pep Guardiola has that ambition too. He wants to sniff the culture of England the Premier League and I wanted that also. I think it’s good he does that and it won’t interfere on his club now.
