Man United - What David Moyes Could Have Done Differently

David Moyes deserves credit for his confidence in his new managerial role. Even so, we look at a few things he could have done differently.

Manchester United lie 9^th in the Premier League table thanks to Adnan Januzaj’s heroics today but even the staunchest of David Moyes supporters at the start of the season must be shifting uneasily in their seats at the position United find themselves in two months into the season. Sure David Moyes is still learning, sure every transition has its teething problems ai??i?? Chelsea and Manchester City havenai??i??t had it all good too. But there are things that Moyes shouldai??i??ve done better to ease his way into the United dugout.

Restructuring the Coaching Staff

When a football manager who has managed a club for 26 years and won 38 trophies in the process tells you not to tinker too much with a winning formula, you should not tinker with it. David Moyes did the exact opposite. According to former goalkeeping coach Eric Steele, Moyes was warned by Sir Alex Ferguson not to change the winning formula at Old Trafford, but the advice was ignored by Moyes who wanted to bring in his own preferred staff. Assistant manager Mike Phelan, first team coach Rene Meulensteen and goalkeeping coach Steele were replaced by Chris Woods, Steve Round and Jimmy Lumsden, his colleagues from the Everton days.

Steele said about Moyes:

“He spoke to me, Mick and Rene,” Steele told fanzineAi??United We Stand. “I told him I thought it was a brave decision. He listened to the manager’s advice, but he wanted to be his own man.”

“I didn’t want to leave. Why would I? I knew that David was coming in and wondered who he’d bring.

“You had the United perspective – the manager saying, ‘Keep what we’ve got, keep the continuity, work with them and they’ll guide you through. You’re taking on a massive machine here. You’ve gone from Marks and Spencer’s to Harrods.’

Steele didnai??i??t blame Moyes but was puzzled at his decision to ignore the advice of a managerial legend.

“Then there’s David’s viewpoint, which I understand. I know him professionally. I know his work ethic, his hands-on approach.ai???

“I don’t blame him for doing what he did. I’ve been in the game long enough to know how it is.

“But it’s ironic, isn’t it? You’ve just been part of a team that has had a great season and won the league. David De Gea’s had his best season. Does it make sense that you’re not retained to continue the good work? Sadly, that’s out of my hands.”

Moyes also brought in former United man Phil Neville and made a player-coach role for Ryan Giggs. These moves are certainly positive ones, but a major overhaul like this should have been avoided. He may have done well to ease his staff into the United dressing room gradually. The atmosphere is new, the challenges are new and the expectations are different when you manage Manchester United instead of Everton. Moyes must be respected for trying to stamp his own authority over the club, but maybe it shouldnai??i??t have been as sudden as it was.

The Manchester United Transfer Saga

David Moyes has had little experience buying elite players during his time at Everton. And it showed. The manner in which Moyes went about targeting player to player from the big European clubs showed his inexperience in dealing with transfer activity when associated with a big club like United. Moyes should have acted tactfully, if not in the pursuing of these players, then at least in reporting of his advances to the press.

Moyes was very vocal about United going after the best midfield talent in world football. Starting with Thiago Alcantaraai??i??s proposed move which was hijacked by his former coach at Barcelona, Pep Guardiola to the embarrassing overtures towards Cesc Fabregas, who Moyes thought could be lured away from the Nou Camp, a bit of a mockery was made of Unitedai??i??s exalted status as a club that can talent any world class player. The fact that Thiago was sweet-talked by Guardiola to join a Bayern Munich side already overflowing with quality midfielders, rather than being convinced to join United, where he wouldai??i??ve had a better chance of getting first team football, should show how lucrative the prospect of playing for United is to top talent today.

The main reason for this is the uncertainty surrounding the team after the first major managerial overhaul at Old Trafford in 26 years. Why would Fabregas, who moved to Barcelona from a non-trophy winning Arsenal side, risk moving to United in times as uncertain as these? It was clear that skepticism would be high among players when Sir Alex Ferguson was replaced by Moyes, whose only major trophy was the Football League Second Division trophy with Preston North End. When such are the credentials of a manager, you have little selling power over the likes of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola, who are also targeting the same players. It was certainly not wrong for United to target world class players for the midfield, however Moyes shouldai??i??ve dealt with discretion when quizzed about the players who United were after.

United paid 4 million more than Fellaini's release clause — United paid 4 million more than Fellaini’s release clause

The United board mustai??i??ve been left a little red faced after the fiasco in the summer transfer window, when neither Thiago Alcantara, nor Fabregas, for whom three bids were rejected, were United players come the end of the window. Names like Daniel De Rossi were also linked but in vain. In the end, with the window drawing to a close, United were forced in desperation to pay 4 million above Marouane Fellainiai??i??s release in a last second, deadline day deal, with Everton aware of Unitedai??i??s desperation to sign him. United lost their bargaining power and were made to look like amateurs in transfer dealings. Indeed, the transfer failings might be more of Ed Woodwardai??i??s inability and questions were asked of him by the Glazers, but Moyes couldai??i??ve done well enough not to be too vehement in his admissions about Unitedai??i??s summer targets. Hopefully a lesson has been learnt and United will sign some big names in the January transfer window.

The Wayne Rooney Issue

When Moyes took over at United, the question on everyoneai??i??s mind was how he would deal with Wayne Rooney. The England striker had reportedly handed in a transfer request to Sir Alex Ferguson as the manager waved goodbye to Old Trafford. Feeling undervalued at the club following the purchase of Dutchman Robin van Persie, Rooney was clearly second fiddle in the strikerai??i??s role, a situation the 27 year old was not pleased with.

This was David Moyesai??i??s first task at hand ai??i?? to deal with the Wayne Rooney situation. With people around murmuring about the public spat that Moyes and Rooney had over comments by the Englishman about his manager at Everton, it was difficult to tell whether Moyes wanted to keep the talented forward for his plans at United. And when Moyes declared in his first press conference that Rooney was a part of his plans and was not for sale, many thought Moyes had played the card well.

Moyes could've handled the Rooney situation better — Moyes could’ve handled the Rooney situation better

However, it was surprising to see Moyes declare to the press a few days later that Rooney was definitely second fiddle to Robin van Persie and would be expected to play a similar role as the one he did the season before ai??i?? which was to be accommodated in positions that are not his natural ones. It is true that Rooney is talented enough to play in any position on the football field. However, when Rooney has been very vocal about his ambition to play in his favoured central striker role instead of in midfield or on left wing, the least Moyes couldai??i??ve done after convincing him to stay at Old Trafford, was to tell the press that it was his intention to keep Van Persie ahead of Rooney as his preferred striker.

Admittedly Robin van Persie has done little wrong since his move from Arsenal and does deserve to be the first name on the team sheet as the striker, but why admit this in the open when you are trying to appease another talented striker who has served the club well and performed greatly in the same role when he was given the chance in the 2009-10 season? Even if it was Moyesai??i??s intention to play Rooney as a second striker or in midfield, it wouldai??i??ve been better had he had a word about this with the striker himself and not through the press. Sir Alex Ferguson was famed for his man management style and the shielding of his players from the press. Moyes so far has shown little evidence of being in the same mould as far as man management goes.

There are still other things that Moyes must work on to get the United team going ai??i?? how to use Shinji Kagawa for instance. Apparently Sir Alex has communicated to Moyes on how to use the ex-Dortmund playmaker, and we will wait for him to use him in the best way possible. Another questionable call was the tremendous amount of faith shown in Nani, after he has tome and again failed to be consistent. Time will tell whether Moyes has thought his plans through. But for now, all we can hope is that he learns from his mistakes and grows on to be the Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson sees him becoming in the future.

Tags: David Moyes Manchester United

Man United – What David Moyes Could Have Done Differently

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