The Manchester United manager, who is fast running out of time to save his job after losing to Southampton, gave a reporter a cheeky slap after a question involving Ashley Cole
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has courted yet more controversy after slapping a journalist at a press conference before seemingly jetting out of Manchester to return to the Netherlands over the weekend.
As reported by Goal, the Dutchman cancelled training on Sunday in the aftermath of the club's 1-0 Premier League defeat at home to Southampton, with players and coaches told not to come in for what had previously been a religiously routine post-match warm-down.
Before that, though, Van Gaal had already been showing signs of the pressure he is under when he reacted badly to a fairly innocent question on rumours linking United with a move for Ashley Cole.
The former England international, who is thought to be closing in on a move to LA Galaxy after his Roma contract was terminated, had been linked with a move to Old Trafford as a short-term fix during United's current injury crisis.
But Van Gaal - who was recently caught calling a reporter a "fat man" in a similar outburst - did not like the line of questioning, singling out the journalist and giving him a patronising slap to the face as he said, "He did not play for a year!"
Following the defeat to Southampton, Van Gaal was then spotted by fans departing Manchester airport for his native Holland, with some reports suggesting he might not return from the trip.
The Red Devils appeared to be getting back on track after winning at Anfield, but another goalless display and defeat at Old Trafford has reignited the concerns surrounding the Dutchman's style of play, with even Van Gaal sounding as though he is ready to give up.
"I’m very disappointed that I cannot reach the expectations of the fans," he said after the defeat to Southampton. "They have - or they had - great expectations of me, and I cannot fulfil them, so I am very frustrated because of that."
On the subject of whether he still had the appetite to remain in charge, he continued: "This question I shall never answer to you. We had to win this game and we could have won - but it’s not happening. You have to play football to entertain the fans. I don’t think we have entertained the fans, so they can be very angry."
- Goal