Manchester United, in this past January transfer window, sold midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin to Everton for £24 million.
The Frenchman, acquired from Southampton, in the summer of 2015 during the Louis van Gaal era for the same price or which he was sold, is now reunite with his former Saints boss Ronald Koeman. Schneiderlin obviously has better chemistry with Koeman than he had with Van Gaal, given the extremely negative words Schneiderlin had for Van Gaal and his time at United today.
“That first year with Louis van Gaal sticks in my throat a bit,” Schneiderlin told French publication L’Equipe.
“I didn’t enjoy myself at all on the pitch. He left me very little freedom in my game, even though I have quite a lot of Premier League experience. With him, I had the impression of playing like a robot. I was told: ‘You must never go and look for the ball in this area of the pitch, you must not do this, that…’ Those instructions perhaps disturbed me a bit.”
“When a player asks himself during a game, ‘But what does the coach want me to do in this situation?’ he starts to perform less well. Especially at Manchester United in a context where all the matches are scrutinized by the media and where you can quickly be criticized from everywhere.”
Damn. scathing! There is obviously another side to this story as I’m sure Van Gaal had his reasons for acting the way that he did, but Schneiderlin has a reputation for being a really positive and uplifting kind of guy. Thus, one can assume that LVG must have been pretty extreme in order for the midfielder to spout off like this. Schneiderlin actually answers every single fan letter that he receives. We’re not joking or exaggerating; every single letter.
Take a look below:
Morgan Schneiderlin personally responds to ALL fan mail. Well played, Morgan. https://t.co/cMFGARIHYt pic.twitter.com/kUXI65TzFS
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 12, 2015
Schneiderlin just never fit in at Mourinho’s Old Trafford. He can play, and he has talent, but he was exiled to bench under the Van Gaal’s successor. He is a much better fit with the Toffees; who are looking to rebuild after a very down year under Roberto Martinez last season.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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