Louis van Gaal's 'punch' on Ryan Giggs during meeting to decide Man United players to axe

Louis van Gaal was named Manchester United manager in 2014, with Ryan Giggs appointed as his assistant, but the Welshman was left stunned by his greeting in Holland

Ryan Giggs has shared a peculiar encounter with Louis van Gaal during their initial meeting to discuss the Manchester United squad. Van Gaal, who took over as United's manager in 2014, surprised Giggs with an unconventional greeting before delving into transfer discussions.

Giggs had concluded the 2013/14 season as interim manager of the club, having been promoted from his player-coach position following David Moyes' dismissal. The Welshman secured two victories during his four-match tenure before being appointed as Van Gaal's assistant that summer.

The club was not used to such frequent changes in management, especially considering Sir Alex Ferguson had only ended his illustrious tenure at Old Trafford a year prior. This did, however, provide Giggs with the chance to gain fresh insights from various coaches. Despite this, he was taken aback by Van Gaal's eccentric approach when it came to deciding on player departures.

"I flew out to Holland to meet Louis. So we met him in a hotel room," Giggs revealed on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, sponsored by Qatar Airways. "Louis was mad. He was mad.

"So I've opened the - he's opened the door, I'm with Ed Woodward, and Louis looked at me and punched me right in the stomach. He's gone, 'You are in good shape,' and just punching - a little dig.

"I'm thinking, 'What is he doing?' And he said, 'I have a list of names. I want you to tell me who stays and who goes.' So anyway, we went through the squad."

In a light-hearted moment, Giggs revealed that he suggested to Van Gaal that Ferdinand should be let go, adding: "I've just gone tick, tick... I think we were one out. So instantly, he was like, 'Yeah, I agree with that. Same thinking, same thinking.' And he said, 'You know, I want you to be my assistant and you will help me.'

That summer saw a significant shift at United as club stalwarts such as Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic, and Darren Fletcher all departed on free transfers. Van Gaal brought in fresh talent including a young Luke Shaw, while Daley Blind and Ander Herrera strengthened the midfield, complemented by the high-profile signings of Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao.

United climbed from sixth to fourth in the Premier League that season, and the esteemed Dutch manager also steered the club to FA Cup victory the following year. Giggs appreciated the opportunity to learn from Van Gaal, having spent his entire playing career under Ferguson.

"Louis was really good for me because he was, like, a different way of how I'd worked before," Giggs told Ferdinand. "Obviously different than Sir Alex. It's different than David Moyes. And he was very much a teacher.

"Very much, you know, obviously Dutch thinking, everything is logical. But I learned a lot, and I've taken a lot into the way that I managed from Louis. And he was really good with me."

He added: "Just the way that he worked, really. The way that-his leadership. He was very much like Sir Alex in the fact that he delegated. So he trusted people around him in the different positions, which I liked. I think recognising a United player, Louis, perhaps didn't get that with certain players, who were good players."

In the wake of the 2016 FA Cup victory, Van Gaal's tenure at United came to an end, clearing the path for Jose Mourinho's arrival. Despite Van Gaal having hinted at Giggs as his potential successor and the Welshman feeling prepared for the top job, there was no role for him within Mourinho's set-up.

"It was after that four games - I wanted it then. But I wasn't ready," Giggs said regarding his ambitions to manage United. "After Louis, I felt that I was definitely ready. Obviously, Jose came in, and I left."

Giggs took over the reins as Wales manager in January 2018, leading them to Euro 2020 qualification. Following a period starting in November 2020, when Rob Page assumed interim management, Giggs officially resigned from his position in June 2022.