Stones need to be laid before Moyes takes the reins at United

Deja vu: Wayne Rooney has endured a difficult season at Manchester United and has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford. Getty Images)

1. The Rooney Saga

If the mighty figure retiring isn’t shocking enough for the fans, here’s the tale of a want-away striker. It inevitably brings a sense of déjà vu for us fans. And the British media made sure even the rival fans feel that way. With clubs ranging from rivals Chelsea, Arsenal to continental giants like Bayern Munich termed as potential suitors, it’s safe bet to say there’s no light at the end of tunnel this time for Wayne Rooney‘s future at Old Trafford.

As we get reminded of time and again “No player is bigger than the club”, there’s no point in trying to put this kid on his feet with more chocolates. It in fact makes the club more desperate and weak. Yes, Manchester United and the fans love and admire him. The club even needs him but without a speck of doubt the club can survive sans him. After all, Manchester United survived when ruud van Nistelrooy, David Beckham or even Sir Alex Ferguson’s latest prodigy Ronaldo left the Theatre of Dreams.

Enough said already and it’s time to get it over with once for all. If Moyes manages to pull it off and Rooney stays we couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome. If they don’t, the club can sure survive to see another day, and both the club and the fans shall wish him a bright future at his next destination.

What we need is closure to his conundrum and not another fodder story to the persevering media.

2. The Midfield/ Winger crisis.

Kevin Strootman, Victor Wanyama, James Rodriguez are some of the names on the non-exhaustive list of players who are worthy of playing for the Red Devils as quoted as the media thus far. There’s no point in denying it now – the performance of the United wingers and midfielders (apart from Michael Carrick) has been sub-standard and below par this season.

This is definitely a cause for concern considering the extent to which United hinges on wing play for scoring goals. Nani who was not long ago termed as Ronaldo’s successor, now looks like a traumatised kid who has no clue about where he is or what he has to do. Antonio Valencia’s performances have been horribly inconsistent as well. Promoting Rafael to the right wing and pushing Valencia to right-back doesn’t sound like a bad suggestion at all. Ashley young spent more time on the infirmary bed than on the sidelines (making just 5 more appearances than Paul Scholes this season).

In central midfield Anderson has been woefully out of form and Tom Cleverley has only shown glimpses of his potential. Let’s just let Moyes and Sir Alex put on their thinking caps. Come what may, this needs to be resolved. We might have regained the title but that doesn’t obscure the gaping hole we’ve got here.

Big shoes to fill: Everton Manager David Moyes has been sworn in to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. (Getty Images)

3. Orientation for the new man

Goodison Park to Old Trafford isn’t just a 90km drive from Liverpool to Manchester. It’s much more than that and even David Moyes knows that. To merely rephrase him, it’s an honour to be even considered for managing a club of Manchester United’s stature let alone actually getting appointed. The difference in the transfer budget says it all. A man touted as his successor by Ferguson himself has literally no European experience at all and no silverware to boast of either. It would hurt his ego one bit if he took a few words of wisdom from the man himself. Nonetheless Ferguson will always be looking over his shoulders from the Board of Directors lounge. Moyes should know everything before he starts drawing up contracts and puts his ink to papers. After all taking Sir Alex’s reigns is indeed that big a deal.

4. That gaffer’s moment of exhilaration

Yes, this is the moment we will miss the most. Watching the old man jump up and down with his arms up in the air like a kid each time the ball ends up in the back of the net is priceless. Let’s hope United rout Swansea just so we can witness that sight in his last home game.