Middlesbrough’s Victor Valdes says Louis van Gaal is still like a ‘father’… even though he nearly made him retire
Spanish keeper loving life at Boro but admits he almost quit the game after fall-out at Manchester United
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MIDDLESBROUGH'S Victor Valdes says he still looks at Louis van Gaal as a “father figure”… even through his fall-out with the ex-Manchester United boss which left him on the verge of retiring.
The World Cup and multiple-Champions League winning goalkeeper was made to train on his own at the Red Devils after a public bust-up with the then United boss.
Van Gaal, who gave Valdes his chance as youngster at Barcelona, completely froze him out of the first-team picture and ended up joining Standard Liege on loan.
This summer the 34-year-old to Middlesbrough and made his debut for his new side in the 1-1 opening day draw with Stoke.
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And the Spanish shotstopper is feeling like a new man at his new club.
Valdes explained: “I feel like a professional footballer again after all those hard days in Manchester.
“It’s difficult to explain, but it was hard being alone. Sometimes at United I thought ‘I don’t need this’, but I am a fighter and a professional.”
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Sunday’s clash away to Boro’s local rivals Sunderland, Valdes added: “I don’t have any bad words for Van Gaal or Manchester United.
"They helped me through my injury and the manager gave me my chance as a footballer at Barcelona and then again at United.
“He’s like a father figure to me. I don’t want to remember the last six months in a bad way – for me he is in the top. We are still friends and there is no problem between us.”
After being denied a locker in the dressing-room and forced to train away from the first-team squad, Valdes has revealed how close he came to hanging up his boots for good.
But he thanked the main man who got him through such a difficult period.
Valdes added: “I want to say in a public way thank you to the Under-21 coach Alan Fettis – without him I may have given up football.
“He made me keep going and stopped me when I was thinking about bringing my career to an end.”