David Moyes' Manchester United departure was inevitable

Of Moyes and Managers

David Moyes being Sir Alex Ferguson’s personal choice exempted him from having a plan or an impressive CV

David Moyes was sacked as Manchester United manager in the early hours of Tuesday morning, though the news of his departure was already leaked to the press 24 hours before. It was a sad way to part ways.His future should have been announced and not leaked for him to find out through the media. Though it came across as classless of the club to do it this way, the bottom-line is that Moyes is finally out. Something that I, along with countless other Manchester United fans have been calling for, for a long time. Despite being given a six year contract, he didn’t even last a full season.

In an article earlier this year, I had written that the long term contract would only remain as a good gesture, if the club’s performances do not match the expectations. So here we are on the day when Moyes Is Out! But why? Who should take the blame for this season’s failure and Moyes’ appointment and his ultimate failure?

A year ago, Manchester United was galloping to the title. Today they have sacked their new manager. Finding a world-class manager for a top club is not an easy task. Manchester United should thank their stars that they had Sir Alex Ferguson. A stalwart who remained at the club for over a quarter of a century. A time over which the footballing world changed many times, but he always kept Manchester United relevant and steered the club to success. He was a freak. During the same time, all top clubs have gone though a large list of prolific names to fill in the role of the manager.That is true for all top level clubs chasing success. United are no different. Real Madrid president commented that poor results on the field will hurt financially and United are no different. Such is the immediacy of today’s football.

When Moyes was appointed, it was on Sir Alex’s recommendation. Frankly, he was no one else’s top choice for the role. The United board did not compare CVs, nor had any interview or voting. Such was the influence of the greatest manager of the world, that his opinion was final. But make no mistake, when the United board accepted the suggestion, they were taking a huge risk gambling the future of the club on a manager unproven at the highest levels.And they probably saw it coming. That is why the ‘ejector seat’ clause was written into the long term contract. The board had realistic expectations for the Scot’s first season in-charge, and the fact that he failed so miserably at reaching them shows the risks with an unproven manager. Fact remains that at the beginning of the season the fans did not expect any trophies but a Champions League qualification was a realistic target for the first season. United finishing miles of from that target and not six point adrift of any European football would never go down well with a club, heavily in debt and requiring on field success to drive the commerce.

But Moyes’ folly is just highlighted in the results but the symptoms are everywhere to see. It was way back in preseason when Moyes admitted to over training Robin van Persie, a player with significant injury history. Getting rid of Rene Meulensteen did not go down well with the players especially when he gets replaced by Jimmy Lumsden. Its no coincidence that Lumsden and Round have been sacked but Chris Woods was not. While De Gea has shown marked improvements this season, rest of the squad has performed poorly and the hierarchy thinks it was down to the manager and his coaches. Which indicates that the players were not impressed by the training ground change.

David Moyes has come across as timid and has said things in press conferences which are unexpected of a manager of such a big club

What annoyed most fans was perhaps the things the Moyes has said as the Manchester United manager. The use of excesses and the words ‘try’ and ‘hope’ became a staple for a Moyes presser. Saying that we ‘would make it difficult for them’ against Newcastle United at home and declaring Liverpool as favourites for the Old Trafford clash, was unbecoming of an United manager. Moyes was a man who always seems to think that he was lucky to get the United job (and he was too!) and always seemed to have the self-doubt that he was perhaps not the right man. When the season got tough, you could see what the glare of international media can do to you.He looked like he had aged ten years since becoming United manager. He seemed unsure of exactly what he wanted his team to shape up as. He never seemed to have any long term vision in terms playing style. He was a reactionary manager at Everton, but failed to grasp that such tactics would not help at United.

Perhaps the most damning evidence against Moyes this season, was the performance of Brendon Rodgers at Liverpool and Roberto Martinez at his old club Everton. Both teams playing good football with great results with much inferior squads. Managers matter. I fully agree with those who have been pointing at the players’ culpability for this seasons performances. They did not have any desire to play. They performed poorly. But that too is a part of Moyes’ job. The performances got steadily worse as Moyes lost everyone’s respect in the dressing room. Moyes knew that he did not have the CV to get respect from a team that was champions the previous season. He knew he must earn it. But he did not. He lost all respect and the dressing room and that finally culminated in him being sacked.

The argument for a long time has been regarding the club’s appointment of Moyes. Most ‘analysts’ suggest that the board should not have listened to Ferguson’s suggestion. But no one factors in the consistent performance of Everton under Moyes. He never got the club relegated unlike Martinez. He was there 11 years and built a reputation for stability.United would have wanted a manager would would choose to replicate Ferguson in terms of stability and longevity. It happens in other leagues where decent managers from smaller teams do get big jobs. United took a risk that many top clubs have taken. It haven’t always worked and the managers were like-wise sacked.

It is tough to get the best manager and then to make him stay long term. Mourinho, Guardiola or Ancelotti all have spend short spells at different clubs. No modern day successful manager is likely to stay as long as Ferguson did at United. But getting top managers and success at a top club is tough. Look at Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Madrid, all clubs who have struggled with managers. It will take time for United to find a manager who would be any where as close to Sir Alex and even harder to keep him at the club for a long term. That has always been the pains of modern football.

All said and done, Moyes is a good man, a decent manager but never really had the conviction and arrogance needed to be successful where you are to handle egos of spoiled millionaire players. He took over the hardest job in management. After this season, both the club and Moyes would move on. With a proper manager and proper investment United would be successful again. Moyes would get a job. But he would never get his reputation back. He would forever remain the man who followed a legend and ended up blowing it.