David Moyes has reflected on the main shortcoming that saw him lose his job at Manchester United after just under 10 months.
Replacing Sir Alex Ferguson was never going to be an easy job for David Moyes, who will forever argue that he should have been given more time at Manchester United.
Moyes is well within his rights to argue that, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly backed Ruben Amorim after a poor start to the season – but there will be many United fans of the opinion that United didn’t appoint the right man in 2013. His time at the club is widely viewed as a failure due to the pressure of succeeding the greatest manager of all time and a lack of success in his first transfer market.
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After managing an array of clubs after United, including West Ham on two separate occasions, Moyes has returned to Everton. He will take his Everton side to Old Trafford in the Premier League next month.
Amorim was quick to hail Moyes’ job at Everton after the former United manager turned things around for the Toffees, after they looked destined for relegation under Sean Dyche.
David Moyes watching his Everton players warm up against Crystal Palace
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
David Moyes blames Man Utd sacking on Champions League failure
Every manager who failed at United will defend themselves.
In many cases, the club’s hierarchy didn’t help the situation. Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal had their run-ins with the infamous former vice-executive Ed Woodward.
During that time, Moyes believes United’s biggest problem has been Man City.
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Although Moyes was sacked during the season, United finished seventh in the Premier League and missed out on a place in the Champions League.
Moyes believes failure to qualify for Europe’s biggest competition cost him his job at Old Trafford.
Speaking to PLZ Football Podcast, Moyes opened up on his United sacking, saying: “Yeah. Well, actually, I think I had to qualify for the Champions League. That was probably the big thing, really.
“We couldn’t qualify for the Champions League at the time. And that was probably, that was Manchester United’s levels. And by the way, I had a brilliant time there.
“I had no regrets. I met some brilliant people. It showed me another side as well to players and the levels they were at in their winning and what was expected of them.”
What David Moyes thinks about Man Utd’s approach to managers
Moyes was quick to condemn his former club for ignoring their tradition by prematurely sacking managers when Erik ten Hag was dismissed.
As the first to attempt to fill the boots of Ferguson, Moyes believes United have not shown managers enough patience in the past.
“Manchester United had unbelievable traditions,” Moyes said on the Stick to Football podcast.
“They brought in their own young players, and they didn’t sack managers. When Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t doing so well, they didn’t do it. They stood for something which was admirable, that this club means a bit more – that bit of class, which dropped away at that time [when I was there.”