Manchester United manager Van Gaal rules by fear, claims Koeman

The Southampton boss feels his compatriot's combative style may cause friction with his players and claims he piles pressure on his squad
 Ronald Koeman believes Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal rules by fear.

United's grip on a top-four finish in the Premier League loosened on Saturday after they crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Swansea City.

Koeman, who worked as Van Gaal's assistant at Barcelona between 1998-2000 before the pair fell out at Ajax, believes the 63-year-old's demanding approach puts too much pressure on players.



"There is a big difference between him and me as managers. I was his assistant at Barcelona after the World Cup in 1998. I learned a lot of things from him.

"But the way he handles his players is totally different from the way I work. I don't put as much pressure on the shoulder of players.

"When you have Van Gaal in charge, it is a fact that there is fear in his team. The players have a fear for mister Van Gaal. That is not always good."

"When you bring Van Gaal in the house, you bring in quality," said the Southampton manager. "But you also bring in someone who thinks he knows everything. And that will cause clashes.