Manchester United

Mike Phelan: 'Manchester United injury problems down to Louis van Gaal'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 10 December 2014

Mike Phelan says that Manchester United's current spate of injuries could be down to the methods employed by manager Louis van Gaal on the training field.

Former Manchester United manager Mike Phelan has questioned the training methods used by manager Louis van Gaal following the club's recent injury crisis.

The Red Devils have been hit by a spate of injuries since the Dutchman took over at Old Trafford, with the likes of Angel di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Michael Carrick and Phil Jones each spending time on the sidelines of late.

Phelan, who last month joined Norwich City as first-team coach, believes that Van Gaal's decision to alter certain training methods could be to blame.

"What's happened is a continuation of the same players getting injured all the time, so you have to look to the reasons why," the 52-year-old told the International Business Times UK. "I think Manchester United changed their thoughts on the fitness regime, they looked at it a little bit differently.

"Tony Strudwick, who was operating as head of sports science, was involved day to day with the first team. He understood the ins and outs of how to keep players fit, how to keep them ready for competition. Then suddenly they moved him sideways and did something completely different. That may have had an effect. That one area has changed.

"They've brought in new people with a different way of doing things. The intensity of training may be one thing - it may be too intense, or not intense enough - but obviously slight changes have been made with the present way of doing things. They seem to get one back and lose another two."

Phelan spent five years alongside Sir Alex Ferguson at United, before leaving his role at the club in 2013.