10 Feb 2014 18:45:43
There sadly appears to be a growing belief that Moyes may be removed from his post. This is quite transparent within the media, bookmakers odds, pubs, clubs, forums and social media. Like it or not, these are influencing factors that have been known to motivate change within the minds of decision makers.

To this point we as supporters have no very little understanding of how the Glazers react when their prized asset is seriously under-performing off and on the pitch. Some evidence can be seen however when a Superbowl winning coach was removed from Tampa Bay in 2009, some 6-years after John Gruden lead them to their first superbowl in 2003. Their form after this success never looked like being repeated, yet it was still 6-years before he was removed from post. However, since 2009 and issues with dropping revenue, Tampa Bay have appointed three new head coaches suggesting less patience with their selections.

All of this talk about United's traiditions count for nothing now. We are in the hands of corporate decision makers, not a single family. As such there must be a real possibility that Moyes may not last the season, however, there needs to be a balanced consideration of the Moyes dilemma/debate. Its clear what the negative factors are on the face of the situation, however lurking underneath the surface its worth considering the following factors:

1. A large part of the current squad, including many senior players, will not be at United in 18 months time. Either age, quality or personal desires dictate that. As such performance levels have dropped.

2. The Directors have faith in Moyes (demonstrated by his appointment.) They are aware of the above, and know that the current team/squad is not good enough. As such removing the manager will make no difference to short term performances.

3. Removing Moyes now will create a surge of player-power within the club, something that SAF has spent his entire career preventing happening anywhere. John Gruden at Tampa had a similarly ruthless streak.

4. To suggest that Moyes is using inappropriate tactics, tactics that have served United well for its entire history, is unfair on Moyes. Its the quality of players available that makes a team, not simply the formation of them. If the Keane and Scholes of 1999 were in the centre of our midfield now, using 4-4-2 we would not be 7th in the league, we would be top.

These are indisputable, and for those that want to see Moyes out, the dilemma is that it will take the appointment of an unquestionably world-class manager to prove most of the above wrong - and none of those are coming this way even if Moyes is removed from post.

The fact is we have a manager struggling with the toughest job currently available in football leading a team that is not good enough, and no pundit can say with absolute certainty which is the biggest issue right now, player or manager. The consequences for getting either wrong are stark. It may even be that both are wrong. Either way, the deepest evil of all three is removing the manager when the manager is not the weakest link.

For that reason Moyes has to stay. for now.


1.) 10 Feb 2014
One of the best posts that I have ever read on this site. Almost every sentence fails all tests of logic. This is world record-breaking.


2.) 10 Feb 2014
Phoey! The way some people talk about this squad you would think they were a newly promoted championship side. Yes they need improving but to suggest their lack of quality is why we have struggled to beat bottom of the table teams is total hogwash. Why do dome of you refuse to see the elephant in the room?


3.) 11 Feb 2014
We haven't been playing 4-4-2 we have been playing 4-2-3-1 all season!


4.) 11 Feb 2014
Not posted in a while, been pretty grim all round, but no name, wow, do you actually support Manchester United. The manager is clearly the weakest link. Moyes is a hack. I don't think he actually has a clue. Some of his decisions really leave me scratching my head. The team is so disjointed and unbalanced, the body language of the players says so much. So little belief throughout the squad. A horrible style of play. This squad romped the title last year. Moyes is massively out of his depth. He'll probably see the season out and hopefully will be gone immediately after the season has ended. As for the formations, christ knows what they are.
Other managers are now saying that Moyes will get it right and that he should be given time. Well of course they are because they want to see the club continue sliding down. And it has got nothing to do with luck, I'm not having that. We used to respond to adversity and bad decisions. Now the manager, players and fans are crying about it!
And yes, what we need is a world class manager, isn't that obvious, we have just had one of the greatest managers ever, (I put Busby above Ferguson for so many reasons), the replacement needs to be of that same calibre. Anyway, I'm really fed up with Moyes. He has shown me nothing but complete ineptitude.

The Big Lewandowski