It’s hard to believe it, but it’s now been more than 10 years since David Moyes was sacked by Manchester United.
David Moyes was the chosen one at Old Trafford after Alex Ferguson’s departure, but he couldn’t continue his mentor’s great legacy.
The Scot tried his best at United, Moyes tried to sign some big names, and he looked to implement his own ideas, but after less than one full season, he was sacked.
Speaking on the Business of Sport Podcast, Patrice Evra has been discussing Moyes’ departure from Old Trafford, and he shared a conversation he had with the United board just before this decision was made.
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Patrice Evra told Man Utd to keep David Moyes
Evra spoke about Moyes’s sacking back in 2014.
The Frenchman says that he was really sad when Moyes left Old Trafford, claiming that he told the club to keep the gaffer.
However, United ultimately didn’t listen to Evra, and Moyes was promptly sacked.
“I had only one manager get sacked when I played football, David Moyes. I was really sad,” Evra said.
“A lot of my teammates were like ‘Patrice, he didn’t have the level.’ But I was blaming us, I was saying that guys we were super good not because we’re good, but because we were scared of Alex Ferguson, so why are we blaming Moyes?
“Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t the best or whatever, but it was a shock, I remember I had a meeting with the Director and he said ‘Patrice, what are we doing with the manager?’ I said ‘we have to blame us, we have to wake up, it’s not the manager.’
“They asked and said ‘has he lost the dressing room.’ And I couldn’t lie to the club, I said ‘yes, he lost the dressing room, but we have to blame ourselves. Don’t sack him.’”
David Moyes compared to Ruben Amorim
Moyes was sacked just a few months into his reign as Manchester United manager, and, in hindsight, this may have been a harsh decision.
Yes, taking United to seventh place in the Premier League wasn’t great, but what has followed has been much worse.
United have just finished 15th in the Premier League, ironically, behind David Moyes’ Everton.
Ruben Amorim is actually doing a worse job than Moyes at the moment, by some distance.
David Moyes Ruben Amorim
51 Games 42
26 Wins 17
10 Draws 8
15 Losses 17
51% Win percentage 40%
Manchester United stats
United were quick to get rid of Moyes, but, as of yet, Amorim has been given much more leeway by the higher-ups at Old Trafford.