“We have a board that does not manage things correctly” – Dutch legend aims dig at Barcelona president

Former Barcelona manager Louis van Gaal has expressed strong criticisms towards Barcelona, specifically targeting the club president, Joan Laporta, for his approach to managing the team.

Reflecting on the challenging period Barcelona are experiencing, Van Gaal emphasized that the key issue lies in the management.

He reminisced about his time at the club, mentioning that he enjoyed working with former president Josep Lluis Nunez. According to Van Gaal, the current board does not handle things well because they frequently fire coaches, which disrupts stability and progress.

“The difference is the management. In my time there was Josep Lluis Nunez, a president I liked a lot,” said Van Gaal as quoted by SPORT.

“Now we have a board that does not manage things correctly because it fires many coaches,” he added.

Van Gaal not happy with all the firings

Van Gaal, a seasoned Dutch coach, is particularly displeased with how Laporta has treated the last two coaches, Ronald Koeman and Xavi.

Xavi, who began his career with Barcelona during Van Gaal’s tenure, ultimately became the player who wore the Barcelona shirt the most times.

Van Gaal believes the main problem is the club’s impatience with their coaches. Instead of giving them time to develop the team, the board quickly dismisses them at the first sign of trouble.

A warning to Koeman

Additionally, he issued a caution to Ronald Koeman, who had served as his assistant coach during Van Gaal’s second stint with Barcelona.

He was critical of Koeman’s comments regarding Frenkie de Jong’s injury. Koeman previously suggested that Barcelona had rushed de Jong’s recovery, implying that the club did not allow sufficient time for proper healing.

Van Gaal argued that such judgments should be left to the medical professionals within the club. He stressed that only the player, in this case, de Jong, and the club’s doctor are qualified to decide on matters concerning the player’s health and fitness.

Van Gaal believes external opinions on this matter are not only unnecessary but also potentially harmful.

“The doctor always tries to oversee everything and I don’t think people outside the club should judge.

“Only Frenkie and the doctor can do that. Frenkie is a professional. I believe in him and the doctors,” said the former manager.