In the aftermath of Manchester United’s 2-0 loss to Everton on Sunday, reports have been swirling that manager David Moyes will be shown the door by the club. The team has refused to deny rumours that they plan to sack him – stating that Moyes is currently still the manager, but neglecting to comment on whether that is likely to change in the near future. The defeat at Everton (Moyes’s former team) officially eliminated United from contention for the top four in the Premier League, and hence a spot in the Champions League. Now that the club has little to fight for this season, it seems like the board believes the time is right to make a change.
David Moyes’s United squad this year – although most of its players are the same – has not had nearly as much success as it did last year, under Sir Alex Ferguson. Against the top eight teams in the Premier League, United have only one win. This season has been jokingly called Moyes’s “record-breaking” season, referencing several defeats against weaker sides (Sunderland and West Brom, among others) that will be remembered in history as part of Manchester United’s poorest season in recent memory.
A sizeable contingent of United’s supporters have voiced their opinions on the web, stating beliefs that David Moyes is out of his depth managing the biggest club in the world. Yesterday was merely the most recent of many instances in which #MoyesOut has been trending on Twitter – both in Manchester and in cities around the world. There’s been a general feeling surrounding the club that both fans and upper management are losing their patience.
The reasons for a loss of faith in David Moyes are numerous. It’s widely speculated that he was never able to gain the trust or confidence of his players. There are rumours that many of them – notably Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck and Ryan Giggs – would be looking to leave Manchester in the summer if Moyes were to stay on. The manager’s tactical approach has also been heavily criticized.
For United fans, it’s not just the losing that has caused their frustration. The team was bound to regress, as most of the players are past their prime, and there are some very obvious holes in the squad. In fact, it’s a testament to Ferguson that United managed to run over the entire league last year. No, what frustrates the fans is the way in which their team is losing. United’s game this year has looked utterly uninspired and boring; although the squad is largely the same, they look a completely different team from last year.
In addition, David Moyes’s comments to the media have done anything but inspire confidence. Before the Everton match, he said “it should not be a surprise [Everton] are doing well. They’ve been seventh or eighth place for most seasons recently”. This, to me, reeks of a small club manager. If he considers seventh or eighth place (the range United is in right now) to be doing well, then he is not the man for the job at Manchester United. He also incited the fury of many fans after saying that Man City are “the sort of standard and level we need to try and aspire to get ourselves to”. This is definitely not something that should be expected of United’s gaffer.
As of right now, it looks like Moyes will inevitably be sacked. The only question that remains is whether he will be allowed to finish the season or not. Many outlets have reported that Ryan Giggs may be set to take the reins as a caretaker manager for the remainder of the season, at which point United will have more time to consider its options. Giggs is currently serving as a player-coach, and is widely considered a club legend.
After this woeful season reaches its end, the Glazers and Ed Woodward – along with the rest of the board – will be facing a huge decision. They’ll certainly want to make sure Moyes’s successor can last much longer than he did. Many names have been thrown around for who will be United’s boss next year. As of right now, it looks like Louis van Gaal, current manager of the Dutch national team (and former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss) is the front-runner. A lot of fansf would love to see the club try and poach Jurgen Klopp away from Borussia Dortmund, although that may be unlikely. Klopp recently signed a new contract at Dortmund, and has said he has no intention of leaving. There’s also a possibility that Giggs, if appointed immediately as caretaker, could impress in the final four games of the season, and be given an opportunity for a full season.
So, David Moyes’s days at Old Trafford are numbered. Supporters will have to wait and see what the club will do in the coming days. The only thing that’s really for certain at this point is that fans of United will be more than relieved to see the end of this campaign.
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