Koeman criticises Man U over van Gaal treatment

London, May 29: Legendary Netherlands defender Rold Koeman has lashed out at former English Premier League (EPL) champions Manchester United for their treatment of recently sacked mager Louis van Gaal.

United announced van Gaal's removal as mager in the immediate aftermath of their FA Cup fil victory over Crystal Palace -- the club's first trophy in three seasons.

Praising van Gaal for maintaining his dignity despite the circumstances, Koeman asserted that United does not deserve their FA Cup triumph due to their treatment of the former Netherlands and Barcelo mager.

"I have watched the process around Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho from a distance. For months we were all reading that Mourinho was busy with Manchester United. If Louis was not told about getting the sack until after the FA Cup fil, then Manchester United as a club don't deserve a medal for the way they treated him," Koeman wrote in his column for De Telegraaf.

"If you know a little bit about the business at the highest level in football, then you know that these kind of deals are not done overnight. But Louis has been put under tremendous pressure for months. This is why I admire the way he kept his dignity," he added.

"Of course, he had a number of run-ins with the media and there were moments when I thought 'Louis, you could have dealt with that in another way.' But Louis is Louis. Looking at the incredible pressure all around him, I think he did a great job winning a big trophy like the FA Cup."

Koeman, who is currently the mager of EPL outfit Southampton, asserted that the arrival of Pep Guardiola as Manchester City mager, the return of Jose Mourinho to England -- this time at the helm of Manchester United -- and the unprecendented success of Leicester City means that next season's EPL campaign will be an exciting one. IANS