David Moyes has angered fans with his comments that the tradition of Manchester United appointing British managers “has now gone.” Moyes is set to face his old club when United host Sunderland at Old Trafford, and was speaking about his time at United ahead of the game.
According to ESPN, Moyes said, “Manchester United was a club with a tradition where they tended to pick British managers. That tradition has now gone. They were a football club who enjoyed traditions with the way they spent. They didn’t try to compete with all the other clubs. They did what they thought was the right thing to do and spent the right way. I can say that’s gone. There have been changes but that’s the way they have chosen to go.”
Moyes also revealed that the club missed out on several key targets during his time there, including the likes of Gareth Bale, Cesc Fabregas and Toni Kroos.
United fans were unimpressed by Moyes comments and took to Twitter to voice their frustration.
Moyes said #mufc‘d lost their tradition of picking British managers. The only tradition here is winning. We need winners, British or not.
— Kuro Ansokubi (@_kuro_hime_) December 24, 2016
OMG get over it already. You were just not good enough. Man Utd have abandoned tradition of British managers – Moyes https://t.co/diZomW5xGP
— Darren Teo (@Cloud2609) December 24, 2016
United lost their tradition when they stop winning titles, take a wild guess David Moyes, when did that start to happen? #MUFC
— kamal metuddin (@kamalmetuddin) December 24, 2016
Moyes just doesn’t stop talking garbage. He knows nothing about tradition. Hope we put a load past his Sunderland team on Boxing Day
— Adored (@AdoredMUFC20) December 23, 2016
Moyes is one to lecture us about tradition. He couldn’t keep a job at a mediocre club in Spain. #MUFC
— Shah S Afzal (@perennialpurist) December 23, 2016
Moyes saying Utd have turned back on tradition since he left. He spent 27m on Fellaini 37m on Mata. Offered 100m for bale haha bell end
— Se.Sh (@Shorrrn) December 23, 2016
I agree with David Moyes. We broke our tradition. By appointing him
— Ricky Jana (@rickyjana) December 24, 2016
– Moyes talks about tradition
*remembers 81 crosses against Fulham*
*Cringe* https://t.co/V9X6yG9vGv— Reحan (@RehanTCh) December 23, 2016
@JSF_7 @hendopolis carrying on w Moyes = accepting mediocrity which is absolutely contrary to United tradition!
— Malcolm (@MalcolmKobak) December 23, 2016
Moyes bleating on about tradition yet look at the contradictions and ironies lol. https://t.co/Im3neKdrZd
— Millie (@GappyMilliOnAir) December 23, 2016
@ARejSport that’s like saying man united have a tradition of employing white goal keepers. Absolute cringe worthy from David Moyes.
— Zizou (@SpottyZidane) December 23, 2016
Moyes obviously still smarting from getting the axe at #MUFC, but he can give it a rest. Shouldn’t have gotten the job in the first place.
— Joel Ramey (@FlixandTrix) December 24, 2016
As if Moyes is mouthing off… I was a season ticket holder at the time. I wanted him to do well sadly he couldn’t hack it!
— Gal (@Gal098) December 24, 2016
Moyes is whining too much, playing the same record ever since he was sacked! Get a new song David! You aren’t that bad!
— Daleyyyyyyy (@iamanireddevil) December 24, 2016
Fans also had their own theories on why he failed to land any of his transfer targets, and didn’t think signing those players would have made a difference.
@SirAlexStand They couldn’t come because of Moyes. These players don’t just look at club profiles but also managers.
— Richard Arina (@raphael223) December 24, 2016
Even if we got kroos/bale/Ronaldo under moyes with his football we’d still draw 2-2 with fulham after 74 crosses.
— Reedy (@Reedy95) December 24, 2016
if SIR MOYES got rejected by bale,ronaldo and fabregas, then he has to understand that no one (other than fellaini) wants to play for him.
— JOSE ERA (@varunarun438) December 24, 2016
Moyes wanted Bale, Fabregas, Kroos, in the same window, which would have cost us pennies and wouldn’t be ‘betraying our traditions’! ?#MUFC
— Daleyyyyyyy (@iamanireddevil) December 24, 2016
Moyes tried to sign Bale, Kroos, Fábregas and ended up with Fellaini #MUFC
— Theo Mensah (@theomensah) December 23, 2016
Love how Moyes says he would be still at Utd if he had bought Bale, Kroos, Fabregas and Ronaldo! Haha you didn’t you bought Fellaini – fool.
— Andrew Moir (@CoachMoir) December 23, 2016
We wanted to sign Ronaldo, Bale & Kroos says Moyes. Yeah, but they didn’t want to sign for you, you dithering, dopey, deluded fraud.
— Mary (@MarySeeYouEnTee) December 23, 2016
Like Bale or Ronaldo would’ve wanted to play for Moyes ??
— DAF (@DAF_MUFC) December 23, 2016
Why would Bale, Ronaldo or Kroos ever think twice about playing under Moyes!#mufc
— VISH MUFC (@v_shah) December 23, 2016
Moyes would have ruined Kroos and Bale uno
— ㅤ (@DarraghMUFC) December 23, 2016
Moyes banging on about Bale risible. He’d decided on Real in March – #mufc wasted their time and were pawns as Spurs hiked up Bale’s price.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) December 23, 2016
If we got Mourinho instead of Moyes he would have signed us Fabregas and Ozil that window. Increase the chances of bale too. ???
— Will (@TheCityIsRED1) December 23, 2016