Van Gaal accused of 'holding back young English talent'

[Drifter]

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has been accused of "holding back young English talent" by the agent of goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

Van Gaal had promoted Johnstone to second choice in his pecking order this summer after ruling Victor Valdes out of contention and refusing to play David De Gea amid links to Real Madrid.

Argentina international Sergio Romero has been the club's No.1 for the first six games of the season but De Gea is expected to be back in contention after his transfer to the Spanish club collapsed.

Johnstone, 22, had been wanted by a number of clubs on a loan deal but was not allowed to leave Old Trafford, and Jordan Segal has hit out at Van Gaal for his handling of the goalkeeping situation.


"Sam just wants to play football but Manchester United are holding him back and not even playing him," he told the Daily Mail.

"He is a young goalkeeper and it is time for him to play regularly. If that is not at Manchester United, then it has to be elsewhere. This is an example of young English talent being held back by Van Gaal.

"The start of the season was the perfect opportunity to give Sam his chance to prove he can play for United. He is ready.

"If they do not want him to play then he needs to move for the sake of his career. He cannot sit on the bench or in the reserves.

"England should have as many goalkeepers as possible to pick from. Given the early progress in his career that is the level he is aiming for. He is not going to get there by not playing."

 

[arthurka]

This will end well

 

[Varun]

Atleast he has a smart agent.

What's the count now of the number of keepers we have but won't play? Increasing by the passing day.

 

[AngeloHenriquez]

Agent not doing his player any favours there.. I don't think he's that bad but he's not and can't see him ever being top team material, maybe even a PL career isn't out of reach, but regular games at his age for Utd? He isn't that special.

 

[Pexbo]

Not good enough to play, too risky to sell when we were letting Lindegaard, Valdes and De Gea go.


This is just an agent saying something controversial to get his players name in the press. Hopefully he'll get a suitable loan move in the coming days.

 

[Kostur]

Oh well, Sam can probably pack his shit now.

 

[Woodzy]

We have about 12 keepers and the only one that doesn't want to play for us is the only one we want.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

I personally was disappointed he didn't get a chance with no De Gea.

I can see why he'd be even more so. Failed loan to Preston, and now will be third keeper at United.

 

[rpitchfo]

Nah, he just got caught up in the de gea mess.

 

[devilish]

What is about this obsession of Manchester United being obliged to act as England's national team bitches? Its not as if England had ever treated our player's right (Beckham, Scholes, P Neville etc)

 

[pierrethesnack]

With this rate we'll have to play Blind or Carrick in goal if Romero gets injured.

What is it with us and goalkeepers nowadays?

 

[SirAF]

What is about this obsession of Manchester United being obliged to act as England's national team bitches? Its not as if England had ever treated our player's right (Beckham, Scholes, P Neville etc)

This.

 

[izec]

Have to admit, disappointed that he didnt play at the beginning. Hopefully, we can find a nice loan for him

 

[Dong Fangzhuo]

Don't think this is the right way to go about it, but he isn't completely wrong there in my opinion (about his client specifically, I don't think LvG has been holding english talent back). Johnstone played in every pre-season game and a lot of us expected him to play at the start of the season with Romero not having played since Copa America, and having been a backup keeper at his last two clubs, and presumable not speaking much english. Personally I think it didn't make a lot of sense to throw a fairly mediocre keeper into the deep end like that with just a few training sessions at the club under his belt, Johnstone just seemed like the more logical choice.

 

[United again!]

Hopefully this is sidestepped. Since it is the daily mail I am more inclined to think it will be so. I'd have liked to see Johnstone at the start of the season if he is ready. Van Gaal did a number of bizarre things in the last couple of months, this is not really one of them though.

 

[Lewis.no.9]

Van Gaal really does piss off players. How many times can anyone remember bench players moaning through SAF's years?. Infact many excelled from the bench. Great man managing. Make sure they know they are still important and wanted, even if they start on the bench.

Seems to me that Van Gaal gives off the impression that your on the bench because your not good enough to start, and thats just going to ruin their confidence and of course make them kick off.

 

[devilish]

Have to admit, disappointed that he didnt play at the beginning. Hopefully, we can find a nice loan for him

I am disappointed because he's a homegrown talent and not because he's English. Id wish that the next Scholes, Beckham, Gaz etc would be Scottish, Irish or Welsh. Imagine how the Ingerlund fans would feel watching Man United team knocking them out of the WC.

 

[devilish]

Van Gaal really does piss off players. How many times can anyone remember bench players moaning through SAF's years?. Infact many excelled from the bench. Great man managing. Make sure they know they are still important and wanted, even if they start on the bench.

Seems to me that Van Gaal gives off the impression that your on the bench because your not good enough to start, and thats just going to ruin their confidence and of course make them kick off.

That's because SAF used to take the godfather's ending approach and ship them off before they dare saying a word. Keane, RVN, Heinze and JSV comes to mind. Before he retired he was busy shipping Rooney as well

 

[Hoof the ball]

Conveniently forgetting that we were the one team who gave young players last season the most minutes.

 

[Judas]

If he was ever going to get his chance, this was the time I would think. He might as well leave sadly.

 

[ivaldo]

Atleast he has a smart agent.

What's the count now of the number of keepers we have but won't play? Increasing by the passing day.

I for one would like to see us play with at least 2 goalkeepers, reckon we'd get a fair few clean sheets

 

[Lewis.no.9]

That's because SAF used to take the godfather's ending approach and ship them off before they dare saying a word. Keane, RVN, Heinze and JSV comes to mind. Before he retired he was busy shipping Rooney as well

which was the best approach. Try and deal with shit ASAP and barely anything went public so it couldnt tarnish the clubs image.

These days, every row, every poor decision, all dirty laundry is made public and Van Gaal has made this club a circus.

 

[diarm]

Can see how it would be frustrating for the lad to be honest. I thought he did really well in preseason and then, after our 2 top keepers and first back up were left out, he had to sit back and watch as Romero (who if we're honest, was never going to be United No.1 material) was flown in ahead of him.

All that, and then you are refused a loan move? I'm a Van Gaal fan and I usually completely disagree with Agents and players moaning in the press. But they have a fair point here.

 

[Bojan11]

He got caught up in the mess. We couldn't loan him because Van Gaal fell out with Valdes. And obviously De Gea situation.

I don't think anybody can have a go at the agents comments. Usually when agents come out and speak they are demanding more money or threatening to move their clients. You can't blame the player for wanting to play. He's 22. I would prefer him to Romero.

 

[redindian1987]

Not much to see here, this is an agent doing his job to make sure Johnstone doesn't sit on his arse all year. Histrionic, yes, but nothing to see here.

Though I suspect that it won't stop the usual suspects from having a moan at van Gaal.

 

[Bojan11]

Also I think it must be frustrating for him. Opening day of season after playing most of pre season. Suddenly a guy who has not played in preseason gets in ahead of you because the manager trusts him more.

 

[Viral United]

There is only one winner in this situation.
Best thing should be have private talk with LvG and come out with solution.

 

[villain]

Conveniently forgetting that we were the one team who gave young players last season the most minutes.

Facts aren't allowed

 

[Sam]

So LVG has pissed off/fallen out with yet another player?

Becoming a bit of a reacuring theme this...

Fwiw, his agent shouldn't have gone public with it, but I can understand his concerns/frustration. Sitting on the bench all season isn't going to do Johnstone any good whatsoever.

 

[Sylar]

TBH, given pre-season and how poor we've looked im more disappointed a few of our younger talents havent been given minutes (english or not). Lingard (third pre-season in a row) looked good, Pereira looked good, Johnstone looked our best keeper pre-season. That and Januzaj being loaned out after playing the first four games.

I can understand the frustration as its a bit confusing. Im not saying start all of them but its almost like if they were bought for big money (with the same talent) they would have been given the minutes.

 

[Barca84]

I personally was disappointed he didn't get a chance with no De Gea.

I can see why he'd be even more so. Failed loan to Preston, and now will be third keeper at United.

When was he supposed to get that chance? Totally unproven and dropped in at the deep end for the opening fixtures of the new PL season? I don't think so.

He got caught up in the mess. We couldn't loan him because Van Gaal fell out with Valdes. And obviously De Gea situation.

I don't think anybody can have a go at the agents comments. Usually when agents come out and speak they are demanding more money or threatening to move their clients. You can't blame the player for wanting to play. He's 22. I would prefer him to Romero.

I think I will. His agent, by piping up in the media and criticising the manager, has probably done his client more harm than good. How on earth is that going to get him games? It's not but it seems that some feel it's open season on LVG and that the guy can barely make a correct decision.

Johnstone is getting paid by the club and we are entirely within our rights to say no to a loan deal if the situation dictates that is best for the club (as was the case)

As for England well really who gives a toss.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I would have preferred that he played the August games instead of Romero but Van Gaal has previously been willing to promote kids when required, so the issue here is clearly not a lack of faith in him because of his nationality. He obviously saw the need to sign a new number two (fair enough) and was advised by our goalkeeping coaches that Romero would do a better job than Sam (not my own opinion but again, fair enough)

 

[Pogue Mahone]

which was the best approach. Try and deal with shit ASAP and barely anything went public so it couldnt tarnish the clubs image.

These days, every row, every poor decision, all dirty laundry is made public and Van Gaal has made this club a circus.

You do realise that Van Gaal has nothing do do with this latest stuff being made public?

 

[Ramshock]

Agents should be fined for talking shit, hit them in the pockets because thats all they care about. I like Johnstone he looks like a good sweeper style keeper. He needs to tell his pimp to stfu.

 

[Mrs Smoker]

When was he supposed to get that chance? Totally unproven and dropped in at the deep end for the opening fixtures of the new PL season? I don't think so.

With no De Gea I wouldn't mind seeing him try to prove himself in the deep end of the premier league...

 

[Bojan11]

When was he supposed to get that chance? Totally unproven and dropped in at the deep end for the opening fixtures of the new PL season? I don't think so.



I think I will. His agent, by piping up in the media and criticising the manager, has probably done his client more harm than good. How on earth is that going to get him games? It's not but it seems that some feel it's open season on LVG and that the guy can barely make a correct decision.

Johnstone is getting paid by the club and we are entirely within our rights to say no to a loan deal if the situation dictates that is best for the club (as was the case)

As for England well really who gives a toss.

He could have started the August games easily. Romero hardly had anything to do in them because he was protected so well. Well besides Swansea and I am not going to get into that.

 

[izec]

So LVG has pissed off/fallen out with yet another player?

Becoming a bit of a reacuring theme this...

Fwiw, his agent shouldn't have gone public with it, but I can understand his concerns/frustration. Sitting on the bench all season isn't going to do Johnstone any good whatsoever.

Talk about overreaction

 

[MDFC Manager]

Holding back English talent? Some right nonsense there by the agent.

Van Gaal really does piss off players. How many times can anyone remember bench players moaning through SAF's years?. Infact many excelled from the bench. Great man managing. Make sure they know they are still important and wanted, even if they start on the bench.

Seems to me that Van Gaal gives off the impression that your on the bench because your not good enough to start, and thats just going to ruin their confidence and of course make them kick off.

which was the best approach. Try and deal with shit ASAP and barely anything went public so it couldnt tarnish the clubs image.

These days, every row, every poor decision, all dirty laundry is made public and Van Gaal has made this club a circus.

Some people are so crap at hiding throw agendas.

 

[vodrake]

He's never played above League 1 level before, is it really that surprising he didn't get thrown in at the deep end, no matter how decent he looked in preseason?

 

[Robbie Boy]

Have to admit, disappointed that he didnt play at the beginning. Hopefully, we can find a nice loan for him

He needs a loan. With the DDG mess, I assume that's why one wasn't sorted. He looks a talent.