Previously while speaking to Fox Sports, van Gaal was quoted saying that Manchester United play far more boring football than they ever did under him. He prefers watching Manchester City over United because of the quality they possess. Words clearly in reaction to the words of fans and pundits while he still maintained the managerial position for the club.
Constantly blamed for playing an outdated and less energetic brand of football van Gaal faced heavy criticism during his 2-year tenure at United. He failed to uphold the lofty standards set by Alex Ferguson and finished in the 5th spot of the Premier League in his last season, therefore failing to qualify for the Champions League. After getting fired from his position, van Gaal took a temporary leave from his job.
However, if he is ready to return to management for an English side there will be a lot of clubs interested in his services.
Everton recently appointed Sam Allardyce on a £9m deal for 18 months to address their poor start of the season. Ever since Allardyce took over, Everton saw themselves return to the top half of the table and out of the relegation zone. Well known for having an immediate impact on teams, Allardyce has clearly instilled a fresh energy to the Toffees squad. However, it is uncertain whether Allardyce will continue past the current season. Before taking the Everton job, the 62-year-old Englishman had temporarily retired from management and had ended his terms with Crystal Palace.
If he does decide to retire after this season, van Gaal can be a good candidate for his replacement. The club already has a quality stacked squad after heavy expenditure in the summer transfer window and are eager to add more resources if required – a good base for the Dutchman to work with.
Stoke City are currently going through a tough run of games and has fallen to the 17th spot of the league table, 1 point above the relegation spots. Although his job as the Potters manager is still secure, things might change if they fail to revive their season in the second half.
Chelsea can also be a likely destination for van Gaal with current manager Conte not in the best terms of the management. The Italian was disappointed with the board after they declined his transfer demands. Falling to the 3rd spot, 14 points behind the leaders, Manchester City and a trophyless season might end Conte’s term with the Blues.
