Moyes axe could spark tug of war for Van Gaal
TOTTENHAM could face a fight for Holland coach Louis van Gaal after David Moyes’s short and unhappy spell in charge of Manchester United neared its end yesterday.
Moyes’s dismissal is expected to be confirmed this week, following a day of fevered speculation that United have lost faith in the Scot less than 12 months into his six-year contract.
It follows Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at his former club Everton, which left United in seventh place, 23 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and 13 away from the top four.
Tottenham are believed to admire Van Gaal, who has declared his intention to seek a new challenge after this summer’s World Cup and has talked up his interest in moving to England.
But United could rival them for the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss, who led a youthful Ajax team to Champions League glory in 1995.
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp, Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone and United player-coach Ryan Giggs, who is likely to take caretaker charge for the remaining four games of the season, are also thought to be in the frame to replace Moyes.
Moyes was handpicked by Sir Alex Ferguson to be his successor last summer following 11 years at Everton, but failed to mount a title challenge or even qualify for the Champions League – a feat which became mathematically impossible with defeat at his former club.
United exited the FA Cup at the first hurdle, lost a Capital One Cup semi-final to struggling Sunderland and were eliminated from Europe at the quarter-final stage.
THE CONTENDERS
Louis van Gaal
■ Holland national team coach. Won league titles with Barcelona, Ajax, AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich
Jurgen Klopp
■ Bundesliga winner twice with Borussia Dortmund and reached Champions League final last term
Ryan Giggs
■ United’s record appearance maker. Has 13 Premier League winners’ medals