Manchester United have sacked manager Louis van Gaal, with his FA Cup triumph failing to make up for the club's inability to qualify for the Champions League amid a season of insipid performances.
The Dutchman was dismissed two days after United's win over Crystal Palace in the Wembley Cup final, their first trophy in three years, paving the way for the widely-expected appointment of former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as his successor.
News of Van Gaal's impending departure from the club leaked out minutes after Saturday's 2-1 extra-time victory over Palace, before it was confirmed by both sides on Monday evening.
"I'd like to thank Louis and his staff for their excellent work in the past two years culminating in winning a record-equalling 12th FA Cup for the club," executive vice chairman Ed Woodward said in a statement.
"He has behaved with great professionalism and dignity throughout his time here. He leaves us with a legacy of having given several young players the confidence to show their ability on the highest stage."
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Van Gaal, though gushing in his appreciation of the chance to manage the club, was not so happy to be moving on.
"I am very disappointed to be unable to complete our intended three-year plan," he said.
"I have been privileged during my management career to have won 20 trophies but winning the FA Cup, which is steeped in so much history, will always be one of the most special achievements of my career."
That success, however, could not gloss over a season in which United finished fifth in the standings, missing out on Champions League qualification, and where dull performances had the fans booing their own team even after victories.
After replacing David Moyes two years ago, Van Gaal got the team into the Champions League in his first season.
However, United's inability to produce the free-flowing football that characterised Alex Ferguson's trophy-laden reign eventually caused a rift throughout the club and in the stands.
United scored 49 goals in 38 games, in contrast to their previous Premier League average of over 76 and fourth-placed Manchester City's 71.
They had the joint-highest number of goalless draws in the division, while Opta noted that United's 430 shots on target was 15th in the 20-team league and they made more backward passes than any other side.
It was reported that the two most senior players, Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick, had raised concerns with Van Gaal about his post-match "evaluation sessions" in which he publicly criticised players in front of their teammates.
Hovering in the background since his sacking at Chelsea in December has been Mourinho, once the scourge of Old Trafford for Porto and Chelsea but now seemingly about to be welcomed with open arms.
