As I watch the drama unfolding at Old Trafford, my over riding thought is this.
If David Moyes continues to try to be the “new Alex Ferguson” he will fail, and will be sacked by the end of the year.
Alex Ferguson was an outstanding manager, with unparalleled success, so it was always going to be tough to follow him. I think it makes it a little bit tougher on David Moyes that he was selected by Ferguson as his successor, as this this put higher expectations on him than if he had been selected by the Manchester Board.
Moyes seems to be trying to manage Ferguson’s team, in a similar manner to Alex Ferguson and not surprisingly, it’s not working.
Why? Because he is not Ferguson, the players were never going to respond to him in the same way that they responded to Ferguson.
This team has been in decline for a few years with the poorest midfield of the top 4 teams, and not only that, some of the key players Giggs, Evra, Ferdinand are reaching the ends of their careers and need to be replaced.
The teams needs a major overhaul, even though they won the Premiership last year. That was more a testaments to Ferguson’s excellent management and a drop off in form of the other top team, than the overall quality of this team.
David Moyes needs to take the bull by the horns, be his own man and not worry about dismantling the great mans teams, let’s face it, it’s falling apart around him and if he doesn’t act now he could well be a casualty of a major clear out at the end of the season.
David Moyes needs to create his own team and he needs to do it now. We need to see the real David Moyes and not pale imitation of Ferguson.
The season is over, United have little chance of success other than in the League Cup, so Moyes should look to blood younger players, and bring in new players of own.
I don’t think he should go back to his old club Everton either, that doesn’t show strength, it shows weakness.
He needs to by a full back, a central defender, a couple of midfielders, and maybe another striker. The fans who are now on his back would look to support him if he would step forward and look to make changes rather than just excuses.
Many of them know what needs to be done, they have watched the team slowly fade over the past few years. They might disagree with who needs to be brought in, but they do not disagree that someone needs to be brought in.
Just like Wenger did at Arsenal at the start of the year, he needs to bring in a key player to spark a revival, Wesley Sneijder might be that player, he is definitely in the right class and could be available.
Moyes also needs to let go some of the poorer player from the Ferguson era such as Nani and Anderson, and show that there is a new manager in town.
From the outside it seems that the some United players feel ok about turning in poor performances, unafraid that they will be dropped, maybe because they feel that they are still protected by the ghost of Ferguson.
This is just about leadership pure and simple.
David Moyes needs to cast off the shadow of his predecessor and be his own man. Fashion his own team, with a core of his own players, players who respect him and will fight, battle and die for him.
You can’t do this with someone else’s team, and as we have seen the team just seems to be stumbling from embarrassing defeat to embarrassing defeat with nothing but excuses coming from Moyes.
Now is the time for action. In this transfer window he can get rid of the dead wood, and bring in some fresh blood, and he might just be able to salvage something from this season. If not he will be looking for a new job come July.
The king is dead, long live the King.
Gordon Tredgold
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