Manchester United

Paul Parker critical of "incredibly stubborn" Louis van Gaal

By Liam Apicella, Features Editor | 01 December 2015

Ex-Manchester United full-back Paul Parker provides a damning assessment of the way that Louis van Gaal is currently managing the team.

Paul Parker has become the latest former Manchester United player to aim criticism in the direction of manager Louis van Gaal.

The Red Devils are currently third in the Premier League and just one point adrift of leaders Manchester City, but their style of play in an attacking sense has been heavily scrutinised in recent weeks.

The likes of Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes and Michael Owen have all expressed concerns in their respective punditry roles, while ex-captain Roy Keane has questioned the continual inclusion of skipper Wayne Rooney.

Parker, who made over 100 appearances for the club during a five-year period, has now joined the growing list of doubters, having branded Van Gaal "incredibly stubborn" and accused him of putting "the fear of God into players".

"When Louis van Gaal arrived at United, I thought he too would be flexible. But we now have a situation where there are a lot of discontented players and we have to question why they are playing badly," he wrote in his Eurosport column.

"Van Gaal puts the fear of God into players. It has to be his way. He selfishly manages the team. No-one enjoys it. He may be a successful manager, but he must learn – even at his age – to become a good man-manager.

"At the moment we have to say he's not man-managing that team. All those players he's got are not bad players, and they've not played negative football all their lives. He's being incredibly stubborn."

Ahead of their home encounter against West Ham United at the weekend, Van Gaal's men have drawn five of their last eight games in all competitions.