The Wrong Chosen One

The disastrous successor of Sir Alex Ferguson

As it turned out, the chanting in the stadium came true. During the match between Manchester United and Everton, which the former lost 2-0 and for the first time in 19 years missed the cut to the Champions League qualifications, the stadium erupted with chants of ‘Sacked in the morning’ as the pale, forlorn figure of David Moyes in the Manchester United dugout looked on. The next morning, Moyes, the 10-month- old coach of the famed Manchester United, was delivered his relieving letter.

The fall from grace is shocking. Ten months ago, Moyes was on the cusp of great things. Handpicked by Sir Alex Ferguson, football’s most decorated and able manager, with a £4 million-a-year, six-year contract to manage the world’s most celebrated football club. Many were surprised over the choice of Moyes, then a low-key manager of Everton who had never won a major trophy in his career. Manchester United fans had assumed the club would try and get Jose Mourinho, the well-regarded Portuguese trophy specialist currently at the helm of affairs at Chelsea. But it was reasoned that what Manchester United wanted after Ferguson was not a ruthless genius manager who could make the team strong but perhaps also mess it up, but a low-key individual who could unassumingly keep the mean Manchester United machine ticking. Ferguson called him the “chosen one”.

Today, Manchester United is in tatters. They are placed a lowly seven in the Premier League ranking and are guaranteed their worst-ever points total, having already suffered a record 10 defeats. They have lost both home and away to their archrivals, City and Liverpool and have scored only 18 goals at home, the same total as this year’s bottom rankers, Fulham and Cardiff. Throughout the season, the team known for their attacking style of play and intensity, appeared tired and defensive. They are now certainties to fail to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 19 seasons. Compare that with Ferguson’s legacy – almost 27 years as manager, with 13 Premier League and 2 UEFA Champions League titles.

Set aside tactics and analysis. What Moyes lacked is man-management and communication, the two most crucial aspects of managing a club. He over- trained the players, and it is said Robin van Persie, one of the star players in the team, has been injured for most of this season because of over-training. He let go of Ferguson’s coaching staff and surrounded himself with those he brought on from Everton. When the team started failing, which happens even to the best, and the criticism began to pile up, he did not have the experience of Ferguson’s staff to rely on. What the ruthless Ferguson could do, with either humour or bluster, was get the best out of people. Moyes was incapable of doing this. People questioned his abilities. The players complained and the spectators jeered. On the night of the Manchester United-Everton match, a man dressed as the Grim Reaper among the spectators prophetically pointed his scythe towards him.

Despite only four matches remaining this season, Moyes has not been allowed to even complete a year. Ryan Giggs, the player-coach with whom Moyes is said to share a strained relationship will now take over as interim manager till a new replacement is found. In his press statement, Moyes thanked the Manchester United staff but not the players. Such has been the animosity, one can only presume.

Moyes now departs with a substantial payoff, which is expected to be around 12 months’ compensation of the £5 million he was to receive for five years. But the money will do little to nurse the humiliation of the sacking.

About The Author

Lhendup G Bhutia

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