David Moyes' Manchester United departure was inevitable

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.