Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/915099
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 13 DECEMBER 2017 Sport 21 FOOTBALL TABLE FOOTBALL Van Gaal slams 'boring' United under Mourinho FORMER Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal be- lieves the club has become more boring under his succes- sor Jose Mourinho, saying he would prefer to watch local ri- vals and Premier League lead- ers Manchester City in action. During the Dutchman's two- year stint as United manager from 2014, the club secured fourth and fifth-placed league finishes along with an FA Cup triumph, but Van Gaal was regularly criticised for his negative tactics. Mourinho's United won the League Cup and Europa League in his first season in charge but the Portuguese has been ac- cused of "parking the bus" in big games, and Van Gaal be- lieves the former Chelsea boss deserves more criticism. "I would rather watch City play than United," Van Gaal was quoted as saying by the Mirror. "You need quality in a squad and it's clear City have a better squad. "...And yet, right now, look- ing at United, I have to con- clude Mourinho is not being criticised while it's far more boring football." "What United produce now is defensive football. I always played attacking football... They don't do that now be- cause Jose Mourinho plays so defensive." City are on a record 14-game winning streak in the league while United, who finished sixth last season, lost 2-1 to their neighbours on Sunday to slip 11 points adrift of them in second position. Van Gaal, who was sacked the day after his FA Cup tri- umph, clarified that he had no personal issues with Mour- inho but hit out at United CEO Ed Woodward, saying that the 46-year-old did not openly communicate with him. "I have more problems with the CEO, Ed Woodward. He never discussed anything with me – and you can talk about anything with me," Van Gaal added. "With all my experience, I know the unwritten laws of football. A club has to pre- pare for the future. I can understand that and they should have approached me. Ed could talk to me but he did not." Louis van Gaal Jurgen Balzan winner of the Under 19 Category in the Grand Prix of Italy THE Grand Prix of Italy was organised in Milan last weekend, with the partici- pation of the Maltese Team Valletta Subbuteo Club and other Maltese individual players. The teams played on Satur- day, where Valletta Subbuteo Club finished in the quarter finals. The team was com- posed of Derek Conti, Mario Camilleri, Roderick Vassallo and their Belgian player Pas- cal Sheen. Valletta Subbu- teo Club passed the group with maximum points after winning all the games in the group. VSC lost in the quar- ter final against the Italian team Salernitana with the score 3-1. The Maltese play- er Jason Pisani with his team Master Sanremo, were also eliminated in the quarter finals. Jean Tabone's team, Salernitana made it to the semi final losing against the winners Fiamme Azzurre. The Categories were played on Sunday and five Maltese players were participating on the day. Massimo Cremona and Jean Tabone competed in the Open Category. Mas- simo Cremona made it to the quarter finals losing against Luca Battisti, the game fin- ished with the score of 0-0 and shots had to be played and finished 5-4. Jean Ta- bone won the group and was eliminated in the last 16 losing against the Italian player Simone Bertelli with the score 6-1. Jurgen Balzan who is only 16 years old, also participated in this category. Balzan passed the group and lost the barrage against Mar- cello Bodin de Chatelard with the score 2-1. In the Veteran Category Mario Camilleri won the group and was eliminated in the last 16 losing against the Italian player C. Santanicchia with the score of 3-1. Jason Pisani won the group and made it to the quarter finals. Pisani lost the quarter finals against the Austrian player David Busch, the game fin- ished 1-1, but was beaten with shots 3-1. Jurgen Balzan was the win- ner of the Under 19 category. Balzan played the semi-final against the Italian player Lu- ca Gatti and won 5-1. Jurgen Balzan won the final against the French player Theo Mod- este. It was not an easy win as Balzan was losing 0-3, then there was a sensational comeback and Balzan won 6-3. Luca Battista won the Open Category and Gerardo Patru- no won the Veteran Category.