This day seven years ago.
David Moyes or “The Chosen One”, was sacked as manager of Manchester United a mere 10 months into his six year contract.
The board of Manchester United released this statement “Manchester United would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he (David Moyes) brought to the role”, and with that Manchester United’s stock had risen by 6.5%. Investors on the New York Stock Exchange were relieved, but how did United fans feel? or more importantly how do they feel the experiment could of worked over the longhaul?
The day Sir Alex Ferguson went off into the Sunset with another Premier League title under his arm, was a sad sad day for the club. I’ll admit though like most fans, I had a sense of morbid curiosity about what would become of the famed Red Devils. At the time the fact that chief executive David Gill was also leaving somewhat flew under the radar. He would go onto be replaced by chartered accountant Ed Woodward.
Continued….
Transfers
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Initial word out of Old Trafford was promising with David Moyes speaking of an unlimited budget and Ed Woodward saying Manchester United can do what other clubs can only dream of doing in transfer market. Sensational talks of Gareth Bale and Christiano Ronaldo signing were abundant, with United doing little to dispel any of the rumors. Links to Barcelona’s Cesc Fàbregas seemed more concrete, with Woodward even going so far as to fly back from the Australian preseason tour, to secure the transfer.
That never ended up happening, either did Sami Khedira or Mesut Ozil or Daniel De Rossi or Ander Herrera. The latter being an absolute shambles of negotiations, as three Spanish representatives fraudulently represented Manchester United with Bilbao. A new left back was also sought after, with Moyes keen to link up with Leighton Baines again, as a replacement for Patrice Evra. When Everton refused to budge on their evaluation , a last minute loan attempt was made to Real Madrid player Fabio Coentrao, that also failed.
Amazingly after all the promise, United ended up with only one signing by the end of the window. Marounne Fellani put pen to paper in the dying embers of the transfer window, for an extra four million pounds then he would of been if bought one month earlier, ya know when he had an actual release clause. Unfairly the Fellani purchase would be used as a constant stick to beat Manchester United hierarchy with until he left for China many years later.
It was this scatter brained approach that left a sour taste in the Old Trafford faithfuls mouth, and barely into their tenure, it looked like both Moyes and Woodward were out of their depth. Wayne Rooney was signed to a new bumper contract, despite Ferguson stating that Rooney was keen to leave, so atleast United fans had something to smile about.
Continued….
On the Pitch
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They could also take a little solace in the fact that Moyes and Co picked up their first piece of silverware when they defeated Wigan. The community shield pitted the Premier League champions against the FA Cup winners at Wembley, I say this as I believe it is important to remember that Manchester United were indeed the defending champions. Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie were all still there, so United fans still had some optimism. After all Fergie did say our job was to stand by our new manager. The Scot had rarely set us wrong before in the prior 26 years, the man won 39 trophies sure!
Looking at the opening few games of the Premier League, Moyes would need to hit the ground running. The first five games included matches against Liverpool, City and Chelsea…..oh my. Moyes even went as far as questioning the integrity of the fixture committee. The opening game however was a breeze down to Wales, where they demolished Swansea 4-1, and went top of the league. A feat they would never accomplish again under the Moyes regime.
Those previous three games I mentioned, Man United picked up only one point. A 0-0 draw against Chelsea, before a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool and an embarrassing 4-1 loss to the noisy neighbors seen United drop out of the top 4. They never even managed to crack the top four for the remainder of the season. This was Manchester United, once again the defending Premier League Champions.
Players were dismayed by all the drastic changes behind the scenes apparently. With Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand since alluding to the fact that the former Preston North End and Everton manager tried to change too much too soon, while taking on too much responsibility himself. Reports of clashes with captain Nemanja Vidic were also abundant at the time.
I was still hopeful, clinging onto the theory that Sir Alex could not be wrong. After all United had just managed to knock Liverpool out of the Carabao Cup and won their first Champions League game against Bayern Leverkusen. So on my birthday I traveled across the pond to Manchester to see United take on lowly rivals West Brom. In my time going over to Old Trafford , I have never seen them drop points. I was a lucky charm from Ireland I thought. I picked up a novelty Fellani wig, went across in the newest United jersey and watched…..in horror. Saido Berahino won the game on the day for The Baggies, and in the Bishops Blaize and around Old Trafford, patience was wearing thin.
Continued….
The season progresses
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October proved to be a good month in the Moyes regime, with United going undefeated. They drew with Southmapton in the league and Shaktar Dontesk in the Champions League, but recorded victories over Sunderland, Stoke, Real Socidedad and Norwich in the Carabao Cup. Adnan Januzaj also emerged as one to watch netting two at the Stadium of Light. November was not so shabby either as once again United went undefeated recording a a memorable win against Arsenal and defeating Fulham while also securing themselves in the knockout phases of the Champions League. It was however frustrating to watch the draws against Cardiff and Spurs towards the end of the month.
December seen Moyes fall to his old side Everton before being bested by Newcastle therefore losing two on the bounce. A nice run of four wins in four though rounded out the end of the calendar year. Fans were greeted in the new year with a loss at the hands of Spurs which was followed immediately by a dumping from the FA Cup at the hands of Swansea in the opening round, and a loss in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi final against Sunderland. This was followed by Sunderland, dumping United out of the cup on penalties in the second leg. The only trophy United could now win was the Champions League and no one was counting on that.
Things were getting bad, United managed a meager 8 points from 6 games in January to mid February, one of them points coming in a 2-2 draw with Fulham that was famous for United attempting 81 crosses in the game. This was an incredibly sad time for United, as they seemed bereft of ideas and confidence. Sir Alex Ferguson famously tore strips out of the United players for not finding the clever runs of Van Persie the previous season. Yet here they were only a year later, disregarding those runs in favour of just getting the ball in the box. It was not a style of play befitting of Manchester United.
Juan Mata was brought in with the hope of bringing some much needed creativity to the side. The former Chelsea Player of the Year was thought by fans to be that spark United needed. It was not. This started to reek like a desperation signing on behalf of Ed Woodward. Mourinho wanted rid of Mata and United wanted a marquee name.
Continued….
The Final Nail Incoming
The mighty Olympiacos gave themselves a two goal cushion in the first leg of the Champions League fixture, until United overturned that deficit at home in March by scoring three. Must of been taking pointers off Liverpool, who put three in the net against them a few days before. City went onto scoring three against them a few days after both games . We did manage three points against West Ham and Moyes still was in the Champions League, so that was a cause for optimism ….right? RIGHT? Wrong….we had to defeat Bayern and David Moyes was never going to accomplish that.
Infront of 75,000 fans at Old Trafford, United miraculously came away with a 1-1 against the defending Champions League winner. Probably could of won the game if it was not for Danny Welbeck trying to chip Manuel Neuer. Then even more bizarrely, Patrice Evra got a goal to put United ahead in Munich! The celebrations were short lived though as just two minutes later Mario Mandzukic drew level, with Thomas Müller and Arjen Robben adding another two. I witnesses a grown man smash his phone off the ground in anger when Robben got that third, I just sank into my pint at the back of Christys Bar, deflated.
The writing was now on the wall for Moysey, fans were more then a little impatient. “You got the job on a technicality from a legend who recommended ya”, that statement wen viral after one game. No silverware incoming was unacceptable for a club like Man United. Only two weeks after that result against Bayern Munich it become mathematically impossible for Manchester United, the reigning and defending Premier League Champions to qualify for next seasons Champions League. A drop off from Fergie was unexpected but this was unheard of. Moyes for the second time this season fell to his old club Everton, 2-0, and with that all hope for the future seemingly died.
Sir Alex Ferguson had an initial tumultuous time at Old Trafford, he too made sweeping changes to mold the club in his image. However the difference is he did not follow someone like Sir Alex Ferguson. He could forge his own path, due to the lack of success of his predecessors. Moyes was the follow up act for a whole new generation of fans, some Manchester United supporters that only know success. This appointment was not a success in their eyes, and he just was not up to the task.
…..and he’s gone
On April 22nd 2014, David Moyes was handed his marching orders, just ten months after signing a six year deal. Fans will argue about the nature of his sacking, with the media seemingly catching wind of it before the man himself. Others will argue, with Moyes himself agreeing, that he just simply was not given enough time. Stating his plan would need a time consuming evolution and not a drastic revolution.
Should he have been given more time? His managed only 51 games, winning 27, losing 15 and drawing nine ending his spell with a 53% record. It was an interesting time to be a United fan, some arguing it was the biggest misstep in club history, while others like club legend Peter Schmeichel saying United should fell regret over letting him go.
Both parties have struggled to gain their reputation back. Moyes had a disastrous spell in Spain for example, butfound his feet again at West Ham a good while later. Meanwhile Manchester Untied continued to change philosophy with Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho taking charge before settling with United favorite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
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