UNITED SUPPER CLUB IS HARD TO STOMACH
MANCHESTER United’s players remain unhappy with Louis van Gaal’s rigid style of management — and some are complaining privately about the Dutchman’s ‘supper-club’ routine on the eve of games. Under Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes, the squad used to have time to themselves after dinner. But now they have to attend a series of tedious meetings lasting several hours at the team hotel before gathering for a 10pm supper of cereal and toast. For home games, Van Gaal’s players usually eat a dinner of chicken and pasta at their Carrington training base at 5pm before leaving for Manchester’s Lowry Hotel. The meetings and supper are followed by a 10.30pm bedtime. Even when United play away, Van Gaal tries to maintain the same routine. But the manager’s system is said to be affecting the fragile morale of his players. The squad were back training yesterday after two days off and a source told Sportsmail: ‘There’s no fun, no banter — just lots of meetings. The body language of the players isn’t right and there’s no expression when they go out to play.’ The mood in United’s camp has been under scrutiny since skipper Wayne Rooney and vice-captain Michael Carrick went to see the manager in August to warn that the dressing room was ‘flat’. Van Gaal admitted that he was alarmed by the news, but insisted that regular meetings are an integral part of his management approach — and little has changed since. He said at the time: ‘I have read there are a lot of meetings, but that’s the philosophy. You have to analyse opponents, then you need a meeting to show that. Then you have to make a game plan, then you have to hold a meeting about the game plan. ‘Then you have to practise, then we have to discuss with the players how they feel. Maybe we have to change — and when they have good arguments, we change.’ Despite United’s lethargic performances this season, they are third in the Premier League table, a point behind leaders Manchester City. However, they must beat Wolfsburg in Germany on Tuesday to clinch a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.