Adidas has "threatened to incur the formidable wrath" of ManU Manager Louis van Gaal "after they began selling a controversial new range" of ManU merchandise, according to Callum Davis of the London TELEGRAPH. The German sportswear brand is just one year into its £750M ($1.07B), 10-year-deal with ManU. Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer was quoted criticizing Louis van Gaal's style of football earlier this season, and a new range of merchandise "seems to be having another dig" at the Dutchman's much-maligned "philosophy." Now adidas has produced a range of T-shirts, hoodies and jumpers with the slogan "Duty to Entertain, Red Devils," printed on the front (TELEGRAPH, 2/18). In London, Jack de Menezes reported the T-shirt is being sold from within the club itself, as adidas has "stocked the official club shop with the new design for fans to buy at the relatively cheap price" of £17 ($24), reduced from £20 (29). One staff member at the club shop said, "It only came in a couple of weeks ago. I can't believe we are stocking it, it surely is something which should have come out at the start of the season, rather than after such bad results" (INDEPENDENT, 2/18).
