Louis van Gaal sacked as Man United Manager, Spurring Countless Listicles

Louis van Gaal has been officially let go from Manchester United, which has led to a flurry of comment on everything from the countless reasons he was a poor fit at Old Trafford, to a discussion of ethics in football journalism, to speculation over Jose Mourinho’s incredible “task list” as he’s set to take over.

As of writing, Man United have yet to release a statement; some have questioned the club’s handling of the transition, particularly as rumours of Mourinho appointment began circulating shortly after van Gaal hoised the FA Cup after United’s 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

Interestingly, a less considered reason may have to do with the club being listed on the New York Stock Exchange:

& while they’d no doubt be happy enough to lie to media/ fans, they didn’t want to mislead investors. That tells you where priorities lie…
— Oliver Kay (@OliverKayTimes) May 23, 2016

Whatever the merits of the club’s comms strategy, memories will be short should Mourinho help lead the club to glory in a way that, at the very least, doesn’t have the same effect as a pair of valium and a cheap bottle of plonk.