5 Mar 2014

Has Moyes Bitten Off More Than He Can Chew?

The media have been circling over Old Trafford like vulchers ever since Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement and departed Manchester United. Their prey is his successor David Moyes, who has the huge task of trying to stamp his own style and authority on a group of players who have become accustomed to winning honours every season at Old Trafford, but has David Moyes bitten off more than he can chew? Is he really up to the task?

It was always going to be tough replacing Sir Alex Ferguson, a manager who has left a huge legacy at Old Trafford, the manager who installed his own methods and winning mentality at the club, Sir Alex arrived at Manchester United already a winner, success at Aberdeen earned him a shot at the big time in Manchester, the chance to make a sleeping giant great again and attempt to knock rivals Liverpool off their perch.

David Moyes arrived at Old Trafford on the strength of his predecessor, Sir Alex choose him as the man to take the baton and continue his work at the club, Moyes arrived at Manchester United with no major trophies to his name, a manger who did a good job at mid table team Everton, but surly the club should've gone through the managerial job interview selection process before making such a huge decision? The strongest candidate for the job should've surly been appointed despite Sir Alex's recommendation?

Moyes' lack of a winning mentality has had a huge effect on the group of players he has inherited, some of the blame for United's faltering and lacklustre season has been placed with the players, claims that the players are under performing can be interpreted in many different ways, but it seems more likely that the current squad don't have trust and confidence in the new manager and his techniques, and like me, were probably very underwhelmed by the managerial appointment.

I always envisaged Sir Alex's successor to be in some ways a ready made replacement, a winning manager who has tasted success, who has charisma, someone who is comfortable with the media aspect of the job, who has a strong personality, not daunted by the task ahead, somebody who would stamp his own mark on Manchester United and bring new and fresh ideas to the squad.

There would've been no shortage of managers who would've fancied the Old Trafford hot seat, and I certainly don't blame David Moyes for accepting the job and trying to make the step up, but I think the job is bigger than he could've ever imagined, he often looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

The honeymoon period is over, I've seen little to convince me that David Moyes is the correct choice. Those who argue against this and beat the 'give him more time' drum must surly now see that Moyes has no style of play? He seems to have no tactical knowledge, there never seems to be a game plan and his 'Plan B' usually involves pushing Fellaini further forward and encouraging the team to knock the ball into him so that he can hold up play, something he regularly did at Everton, this is not the Manchester United style of play.

Moyes never looks comfortable with the media, I often cringe when watching his press conferences as he stutters through them trying to fit in all the right things to say as if its scripted. His after match assessment of Manchester United defeats this season has been nothing short of comical, it usually goes something like: "I thought we were unlucky today, we didn't deserve that, we'll do everything we can to turn things around".

Comments like that are fine if you genuinely were unlucky, but you make your own luck in football and it can't be used as an excuse every time your team suffers a defeat, Moyes' downfall has been his niceness, his willingness to tiptoe around the changing room without trying to be his own person, maybe he is in aura of the squad of talent he is now in charge of?

I hope David Moyes proves me wrong, suggesting a manager should be replaced after not even a season in charge will probably seem harsh to some, but my opinion is that David Moyes is not the manager to bring Manchester United forward.

I'm well aware that this goes against everything that Sir Alex Ferguson told us when he stood on the pitch after the Swansea match at Old Trafford last season, when he told us that our job now was to stand by our new manager, I would happily do that if I had seen something to give me hope that he was the correct choice, but Iv'e seen absolutely nothing to convince me in the slightest, its not like you can see a certain style of play developing, something that you know will click together in time.

David Moyes is a manager with very little Champions League experience, if he is given another season in charge that experience will not strengthen in any way, as the club look set to miss out on a top four position for the first time since the English Premier League was formed back in 1992, David Moyes is breaking records at Manchester United for all the wrong reasons, has he bitten off more than he can chew?


@KevinAshford7



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