How would you feel if every day at work you read the newspaper and saw someone linked with the job you’re currently in?
A newspaper, no… several newspapers, websites, radio, rolling 24-hour sports news and constant questions every single day about who might take your job would wear out any man.
And especially if you are not getting the right results.
Instead of a crap Monday, you have nothing but crap Tuesdays, awful Wednesdays and every other day of the week is shite too.
It would get to you, it would depress you, and it would erode your self confidence.
So why do we think that Louis van Gaal would be any different.
Why would we think that a human being, paid millions every year to tell footballers to pass, run and shoot, would not be unnerved by the spectre of a man whom most fans would hate to see run their football club hovering over his shoulder?
Louis van Gaal is not different, and speaking ahead of today’s Manchester United-Chelsea clash, the former Ajax manager has opened up on the pressure of dealing with the speculation linking Jose Mourinho to his job, not every day, but every hour of every day.
In today’s Observer, the Dutchman feels there there has been no contact with the Portuguese from what he knows, and the constant undermining of his role by the media, has been hard, especially for his family to take.
“The last two months have been very difficult for my wife, my kids, my grandchildren and my friends to cope with.
“For me too, but I can cope. In the Netherlands they know I am too arrogant to doubt myself, but I also know that such a nonsense is being created about me. I do not believe that there is already a relationship between José Mourinho and Manchester United.”
Last week it was reported that the pressure had grown so intense and fans’ anger so volatile that Van Gaal had hired private security to protect him and his family.
It was suggested that the ex-Bayern Munich boss was so worried about a possible incident that he may even have been considering moving home.
Rubbish, all rubbish, according the under-fire Dutchman, who is unhappy with how the media is portraying his woes at Old Trafford.
“I criticise the media for inventing stories.I never hired security. Never ever. And I am walking on the streets without security and all the people I meet are very positive.”
Van Gaal has come out swinging before, but it seems that when things get personal, with his family affected, then perhaps he may be better off quitting.
As Jim Morrison of the Doors sang once upon a time, “When the future’s uncertain, the end is always near”.
