It was a tumultuous Monday afternoon for the English media as
news started to flow in through the proverbial “in-the-know” circles that there
was to be a significant managerial re-jig in the ranks at Old Trafford. “The
Chosen One” was to be, well, not chosen anymore.
David Moyes, four days before his 51st birthday,
was subsequently thanked for his integrity and asked to pack off by the English
Champions (much as expected) on Tuesday morning. Now the English media, rather
unlike the Manchester United hierarchy it would seem, have been divided on the
decision.
Sky Sports expert and former United legend Gary Neville
claimed to be appalled that Manchester United hadn’t let a man on a six year
deal even finish 12 months on the job. To counter, there were plenty who said
his teams’ performances were simply not good enough to merit leadership of this
historic institution for another year.
It’s been a while since I’ve chimed in on something, but this
merited chiming. While it is true that David Moyes had probably lost the
backing of the Board, most of the players, the media, the fans and, well,
everyone except Liverpool and Man City supporters, it has to be noted that he
was in probably the simplest footballing job in the world.
Sir Alex Ferguson, as we know, was an average manager with no
real record or credentials. So, it was an extremely simple task to take up the
mantle post him and handle similar expectations. Let’s not forget the team of
former and future Ballon D’or winners he was left with. A left back who is
always named on the team-sheet but never seems to be there, a mid-field with
former Barcelona youth player Tom Cleverley and the pace and energy of Michael
Carrick and a front-man with an exemplary, injury –free track record. Thankfully,
he had an experienced and wily Chief Executive with him who could make all his
transfer wishes come true. Wait, didn’t he always want Marouane Fellaini?
Looking at that mix, one wonders why Moyes even took the job
in the first place. He came out recently and said even Sir Alex wouldn’t have
finished top four with that lot. To be honest, it was basically that lot last
year but then Sir Alex is like Dumbledore while Moyes is basically a
muggle. Not sounding right? How about
Gandalf and Gollum? You evil lot!
One mistake (well, the biggest one) that Moyes has only
himself to squarely blame for is his exquisite decision to dispense of the
entire backroom team at a lowly Premier League winning club and bring in the Champions-League winning
Everton back-room team. Steve Round and Jimmy Lumbsden really looked the part
as they scratched their heads in unison wondering how City were beating them by
3 goals. Again.
Of course, Rene Meulensteen’s decision to rebel against the
eviction by taking up management hardly helps make my case given the top 4 team
he turned Fulham into, but as a coach, he knew these United players. He knew
what made them tick, what made them work well together and, most pertinently,
what made them win! Needless to say, if a guy knows how to make a side with Tom
Cleverley, Ashley Young, Rio Ferdinand and captained by Patrice Evra win, you
hold onto him.
So, what next for the Red Devils? Well, the Glazers have
played a perfect tune by putting Ryan Giggs in charge to appease fans and,
well, Ryan Giggs. For the time being, it’s likely to work. Giggs has four games
coming up which are all exceedingly winnable and which will give the Glazers
time to kidnap Jurgen Klopp’s family and force him to move to Manchester.
Louis Van Gaal was on a flight to London when he jumped off
without a parachute on Tuesday morning. Thankfully, he landed on Jose
Mourinho’s ego so he’s fine but he can never come down now. Carlo Ancelotti
will likely only win the Treble at Real Madrid so his time could be up. Then,
of course, there’s the more conventional option of continuing with Ryan Giggs
and getting Sir Alex Ferguson to Video Conference the half-time team talks. Anyone
think it’s maybe fair to let David Moyes pick his successor? Isn’t that what
United do? Isn’t that their “thing” now?
Who’s the right man? Well, this is a question that maybe
should have been answered before packing off the wrong but integrity-filled
one. The Glazers have clearly done their homework which is why we’re all so
much closer to knowing who the person will be.
Many opine that the man should embody the United philosophy
of playing attractive, attacking football. Nonsense. The United philosophy is
winning. They are a match-winning, league-winning, cup-winning club. That comes
before all else. “Make them win” would pretty much be a coherent, very “united”
(do you see what I did there?) cry from supporters all over the world. Let’s
not forget Manchester United is still the most widely followed football club in
the world and Manchester City still has empty seats in their stadium even when
they’re supposedly in a title race.
So where does all this take us? It takes us to another
interesting, paradigm-shifting summer at Old Trafford. Men will come, men will
go and if there’s a sacking, the English media will know. Who will it be?
Giggsy, Fergie? Klopp, Louis? In good time we’ll know, in good time we’ll see.
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