Louis van Gaal was "almost ashamed" of his wages during his time as Manchester United manager, his wife Truus has explained in a new interview.
The Dutchman was appointed Reds boss in the summer of 2014 after the club parted company with David Moyes. He arrived at Old Trafford after guiding the Netherlands to a third-placed finish at the 2014 World Cup.
Despite being handed a three-year contract at United, Van Gaal was dismissed after just two seasons in charge and was replaced by Jose Mourinho in the summer of 2016. The Dutch coach recorded fourth and fifth-placed finishes with the Reds, while also winning the FA Cup in 2016.
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Van Gaal, who was reappointed Netherlands boss in 2021, took charge of 103 matches as United boss, winning on 54 occasions. His time in Manchester is remembered differently by Reds supporters, but his wife has explained that the Dutchman was never motivated by money.
"He just doesn't think money is that important. I remember when Manchester United were interested in Louis. Ed Woodward, the big boss, wanted to meet with Louis and his business manager in a hotel," Van Gaal's wife, Truus, told Nouveau.
"Louis said, 'I don't have an agent and you can just come to my house in Noordwijk.' So the man sits here, where you are sitting now, I put down a cup of coffee and a slice of cake for him and go into the village.
"But I enter our flat and there Louis is already waiting for me. With a proud face and his arms outstretched, he shouted: 'Here is the new manager of Manchester United!' He even opened champagne, even though neither of us likes that very much."
She added: "At one point I say, 'So, what are we going to earn?' That's her again, he thought, so that hadn't been discussed yet. 'What are you saying?' I said. But then he thinks I have dollar signs in my eyes.
"A few days later, Woodward called again, Louis joked: 'My wife wants to know what I will earn, hahaha. And then he doesn't negotiate. He's just almost ashamed of the amount he's getting."
Van Gaal and his Dutch coaches were dismissed just two days after lifting the FA Cup in 2016, with Jesse Lingard having scored an extra-time goal for the Reds in the 2-1 victory.
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