Manchester United chiefs will hold crisis talks discussing the future of Louis van Gaal

LOUIS VAN GAAL'S future is back in the balance after he came under fire from an influential Manchester United director.

 

The spotlight is back on Louis van Gaal as Manchester United chiefs voice their unhappiness

 

David Gill, United's former chief executive and still a key board member, piled the pressure on Van Gaal yesterday by saying the team had "under-achieved" this season.

And Gill also echoed the feelings of disgruntled supporters when he admitted he did not find the Dutchman's style of football "attractive", only weeks after similar criticism from Herbert Hainer, chief executive of main sponsors Adidas.

United's hierarchy are set to hold crisis talks this week over the future of their beleaguered boss after furious fans turned on him following Saturday's dismal home defeat to Southampton.

 

The result left United five points adrift of the top four and with their lowest points and goals totals after 23 games in the Premier League era.

With Champions League qualification now in serious jeopardy, it is understood concerns are growing among senior figures that a change needs to be made to salvage the campaign.

Another defeat in Friday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Derby could see United fire Van Gaal and either appoint former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho or promote Ryan Giggs.

Gill is the first high-profile United official to voice his feelings on the club's disastrous season.

 

"Clearly we all hope the results would be better and we are all disappointed with that. Undoubtedly, it has been a season of under-achievement given the investment that was made in the summer," he said.

"I'm not going to sit here and say it's that attractive. What we did in the past was great. You have to have the players to do that. We want attractive football and I'm sure we will try and do that going forward."

Gill said the decision on Van Gaal rests with the club's American owners, the Glazer family, and executive-vice-chairman Ed Wodward, who succeeded him as United's top official.

"Nobody likes to see that [the crowd reaction]," he added in an interview with Five Live. "We need to stay calm and act with the club in mind in terms of its proposals and targets and where it's moving forward. The wider point is for Ed Woodward and the owners to discuss and which direction the club is going."

 

Van Gaal, who could even offer his resignation, appeared to have accepted his fate when he admitted after the game: "I'm very disappointed that I cannot reach the expectations of the fans. They have - or they had - great expectations of me, and I cannot fulfil them, so I am very frustrated because of that.

"I agree with them. You have to play football to entertain and I don't think we have entertained the fans, so they can be very angry."

Mourinho's advisers have rubbished bizarre suggestions he has written a six-page pleading letter to United in which he offered to change his managerial style.

His agent Jorge Mendes said: "It is absolutely ridiculous and absurd. It does not occur to anyone that a coach like Jose Mourinho can write letters to clubs offering their services."