Former Barcelona midfielder Bolo Zenden has described new Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal’s unforgiving streak. Van Gaal was finally confirmed as Man United’s new manager on Monday after weeks’ of speculation that the Holland boss was set to become the new man at Old Trafford after this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
Much has been made of Van Gaal and stories from players who have played under him, describing the 62-year-old as a firm manager, and Zenden, who played under the Dutchman at Barcelona, backs up those claims by recalling a bust-up between the new Man United boss and Rivaldo, who was at the height of his powers at the time. Zenden told how Van Gaal was not afraid to drop the Brazilian superstar to the bench after he told the coach that he wanted to change positions – Rivaldo was played as a left winger, although he insisted that he should play in a more central role. I was at Barcelona and very close when the clash with Rivaldo happened,” Zenden told BBC Radio 5 live. He was winning the Golden Ball as player of the year and was playing as a left winger. Rivaldo himself thought he was better off playing behind the strikers, so as soon as he won this massive trophy he just said to Van Gaal, ‘I don’t want to play on the left no more. I want to play behind the strikers’. ” “Van Gaal said ‘right that’s your decision’. What followed was that he sat on the bench because the manager decided where he would play.
