Vidic damns Moyes with faint praise as Giggs meets Van Gaal

RYAN GIGGS is to discover what role he will have, if any, under new Manchester United boss elect Louis Van Gaal when he meets with the Dutchman today.

The Old Trafford legend is to meet Van Gaal at the Netherlands training base where the veteran manager is overseeing the national team's preparations for the World Cup. The Dutchman is expected to take over as United boss after the tournament.

While Giggs has so far kept his counsel on life at Old Trafford during a turbulent season, other United legends have been more forthcoming.

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Departing defender Nemanja Vidic claimed in an interview with the Daily Telegraph that players fell out as David Moyes's first and only season in charge turned into a disaster.

"We argued amongst ourselves," Vidic told the paper. "This year more than any other, because when you have bad times, people show they care. We are still friends, but we were arguing to get better... If you didn’t argue, it would not be right. We had some hard moments in the dressing room between ourselves."

The Daily Mail even claims that Vidic and former team-mate Patrice Evra, who could be reunited at Inter Milan next season, had to be pulled apart by Moyes and other staff after almost coming to blows in the wake of a 3-0 defeat by Liverpool at Old Trafford in March.

He was diplomatic about the reign of Moyes but hinted that all was not well under Alex Ferguson's anointed successor. "I am not saying that the David Moyes way was bad, but these players feel more comfortable playing a certain way of football," he said. "The best answer I can say is that he tried really hard, he was professional. He was really committed to the job and desperately wanted to do well. But unfortunately, it didn’t happen and we are all sad."

The paper notes, however, that Vidic did not deny an infamous claim that Moyes had once pulled him and Rio Ferdinand aside in training and told them how to defend like Everton's Phil Jagielka.

But in another interview, this time with the BBC, Vidic insisted that the players did their best for Moyes and had "respect" for him. "They did everything that was asked of them," said Vidic. "Sometimes you do things well, sometimes you don't. But the desire was there."

While Vidic was diplomatic, United fans will not be surprised to learn that former midfielder Roy Keane has once again been letting off steam. He rounded on United chief Woodward, accusing him of undermining Moyes by failing to sign players last summer.

Contrary as ever, Keane also said he had been "happy" with Moyes and thought he should have been given more time at the helm.

He also turned on defenders Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, reports The Guardian. "If anything I think they have gone backwards," he said. "They need to do a lot better if they want to cement their place at Man United."

Keane also told Jones, currently fighting to be fit for England's World Cup campaign after suffering a shoulder injury, to "toughen up".