Post by playwide on Aug 5, 2014 9:32:32 GMT -6
This time last year I was watching Man Utd preseason friendlies sensing something was not right. The play was not inspiring, a team of Champions was adjusting to a new manager, Scholes was gone, and everyone just assumed that United would find their way as usual....but, not so much.
United fumbled through an entire Premier League season dropping home match after home match. Eventually when Moyes starting speaking about the problems...it was then everyone understood the difference between a capable manager of a team like Everton and a capable manager of the world's biggest club. Moyes probably sealed his fate with two gaffes in two pre-game press conferences, one when he said, "We hope to get to the level that City is at." and another when he said prior to Liverpool, "We will go out and give it our best and hope to win."
Now these might sound harmless to most people, but when you are Manager at Manchester United...these responses are not acceptable. In two quotes, the public was able to see what the players saw every day...a manager who was not used to millions of supporters hinging on every word and gesture. He had no swagger. The vultures were circling.
The players complained about training methods and asked where their confidence had gone.
Finally, when elimination from European Competition was confirmed the board and owners dropped the axe on Moyes...probably giving him more chances than they should have. One Italian manager said Moyes would have been fired 3 times by that point in Serie A.
Fast forward one year later and the swagger is back. The beautiful football, the smiles, and a manager who is capable of being a winner at the world's biggest club....and Rooney is happy again.
It should be an exciting season with the fear factor back at Old Trafford.
United fumbled through an entire Premier League season dropping home match after home match. Eventually when Moyes starting speaking about the problems...it was then everyone understood the difference between a capable manager of a team like Everton and a capable manager of the world's biggest club. Moyes probably sealed his fate with two gaffes in two pre-game press conferences, one when he said, "We hope to get to the level that City is at." and another when he said prior to Liverpool, "We will go out and give it our best and hope to win."
Now these might sound harmless to most people, but when you are Manager at Manchester United...these responses are not acceptable. In two quotes, the public was able to see what the players saw every day...a manager who was not used to millions of supporters hinging on every word and gesture. He had no swagger. The vultures were circling.
The players complained about training methods and asked where their confidence had gone.
Finally, when elimination from European Competition was confirmed the board and owners dropped the axe on Moyes...probably giving him more chances than they should have. One Italian manager said Moyes would have been fired 3 times by that point in Serie A.
Fast forward one year later and the swagger is back. The beautiful football, the smiles, and a manager who is capable of being a winner at the world's biggest club....and Rooney is happy again.
It should be an exciting season with the fear factor back at Old Trafford.