David Moyes : The Chosen One

The moment was always expected but the
post effects were never ever imagined. The fans of course cannot be blamed for the comparison made between the OLD ONE and THE CHOSEN ONE. Due to predictable human nature and also the fact that we cannot see someone else kissing the touchline, giving the scariest look to the fourth official, and a hope of doing something out of the world in the injury time, we somehow wanted to procrastinate the fact of life and certainly Manchester United without Sir Alex Ferguson but truth is truth and somehow we have to swallow the bitter pill.

Fergie had chosen the most correct time to make way for the new man. To get the trophy back
from the noisy neighbour after a heart breaking last day and last minute drama at the Etihad. The man has won everything, be it the trophies or be it the love, admiration, and respect of every one. So it was the most accurate time for transition, which every team goes through at some point of the time. Manchester United was Sir Alex Ferguson’s life and one thing was for sure that he would never ever handover the reign to anybody. After managing Manchester United for nearly three decades, it was proper decision made by the top hierarchy that Fergie will have the say in who will be the next Manchester United manager. There were many names in the fray to be the gaffer. The likes of Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, and David Moyes but keeping in mind the tradition and values of Manchester United it was David Moyes who was given the opportunity. Such was the power of Fergie that David Moyes was not even asked whether he would like to be the manager of Manchester United but instead he was ordered by Fergie that “You are the next Manchester United manager”.

The moment it was announced that David Moyes will be the next Manchester United manager, his life came under scrutiny. It was evident from the beginning that the task of managing Manchester United was never going to be a cake walk, the team which is synonym to winning and that too in a emphatic manner. To manage a team who competes with teams in the top half of the league table for a Europa league spot and managing a team whose mantra is to win, win, and win is entirely a different ball game.

Yes, the transition was all of a sudden and a pretty huge one. Not just Fergie but also David Gill stepping down from the chief executive post was a kind of set-back. This meant that all the things were to start from scratch. Life with a new manager, new support staff, and a new chief executive (Mr. Ed Woodward) who is a master in signing sponsorship deals rather than signing players was never going to be easy.

May be we can argue for the fact that David Moyes could have made the manager a bit early so that he had enough time to gauge the players at his disposal and then look out for some new ones in the transfer market according to his priority. However before that he had a tough task to handle, the Wayne Rooney saga. The relationship between Sir Alex Ferguson and Wayne Rooney had broke down completely although the recent interview gave by Fergie was some sort of a breather. David Moyes had to take each and every step carefully. He had to make Wayne Rooney believe that he is the Manchester United talisman and not a second fiddle to Robin Van Persie. There are many ones who hate Wayne Rooney’s attitude but it is a fact that a player of his mould is difficult to find and no doubt there were interest from elite clubs across Europe but the club which came very close in signing him was Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea however David Moyes had stated it categorically that Wayne Rooney is not for sale at any cost and it became a reality after Wazza’s stunning display against Chelsea which made the Old Trafford crowd rapturous. Not letting Wazza go was like a new signing for Manchester United and for David Moyes.

Although David Moyes is cut from the same cloth as Sir Alex Ferguson but he is certainly not the finished product. It is a slow work in progress which will eventually turn into a fine suit piece one day. We all know what David Moyes has achieved during his tenure at Everton, though not in terms of trophies but certainly in terms of respect and work ethic. To manage the club for a decade with limited resources and to remain probably in top seven or eight clubs is certainly an achievement but managing a top club is a very demanding job. David Moyes as of now doesn’t have that shrewdness or a cunning mind Fergie had which made him exposed during the transfer market. David Moyes was unable to land any marquee signing. The failure to sign Thiago Alcantara, Cesc Fabregas, and the list day drama of Ander Herrera revealed all the truth.  This was absolutely due to lack of experience on the part of David Moyes and also Ed Woodward. All we ended up was with Marouane Fellaini which I term it as a hasty signing in order to save the face.

The situation became from bad to worse for David Moyes during the start of the season. Loss to Liverpool, annihilation by the hands of Manchester City and a shambolic display against the like of West Bromwich Albion mounted further pressure on the new man.  All this lead to only one question, Is David Moyes the right man for the job?

The answer to that is actually simple. The new man needs time to understand his team, the capability of every player, the flaws, and the tactics to be developed. It cannot be done in few days or months. The transition might take a year or two and even more than that. Even Fergie took time to develop his team. It took years of determination and hard work for ALEX FERGUSON to become SIR ALEX FERGUSON. Nothing comes easy. What Fergie had was the like of Sir Bobby Charlton to support him through his tough time and what David Moyes wants is the support of the fans during the tough time. We do not believe in the concept of sacking manager but what we do believe is to get behind the team and the manager at every moment. As fans, our duty is not to question his appointment but to give unquestionable support to the new man in charge. Let him make mistakes which he is bound to make and I am sure he will learn from it. As Fergie said during the last speech that our job is to stand by the new manager and I surely will and I am sure fans who has Manchester United in their heart and blood will do the same. Let us support our new man in charge and things will surely turn good.

“Come on David Moyes, play like Fergie boys

We will go wild, wild, wild, we will go wild, wild, wild”

by Darshan