Football
Arindam Rej, Man United Correspondent 8y

Man United's Louis van Gaal attacks media for making him a 'nobody'

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has again hit out at the criticism he is receiving in the media, claiming he is being presented as a "nobody."

Van Gaal insisted that the picture being painted in the press is far removed from the truth, with the Dutchman insisting he is "very arrogant" and "one of the best managers in the world."

He was speaking at the club's annual awards ceremony, broadcast on MUTV. The event took place with United having undergone a testing season -- while at the same time underdogs Leicester City secured the Premier League title as Tottenham failed to win at Chelsea.

David De Gea was voted Player of the Year for a third successive season, with breakthrough striker Marcus Rashford winning the under-18s' award.

Van Gaal's position has been under scrutiny over the course of the season, with the team still outside the top four in the Premier League and having failed to progress beyond the group stage of the Champions League -- although they have the consolation of being in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace later this month.

United do still have hope of catching Manchester City in fourth for a place in next season's Champions League, but it seems more likely that they will have to settle for a full season in the Europa League.

Discussing the scrutiny on him, Van Gaal said: "When the media is writing for six months I am sacked already... I can cope with that. It is not new for me. For my players, it is not so easy.

"They are reading every day. What do you think about my authority? What do you think about the way they want to follow my advice, when their coach is showed like a nobody because I cannot do anything?

"But I am not like that. I am very arrogant. I am one of the best managers of the world."

When asked how difficult the season has been, he replied: "We have to meet the expectations of the biggest club in the world. Expectations are too high. We are in a period of transition. It is not so easy."

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