EPL: Wake up Moyes, this is not a dream

EPL: Wake up Moyes, this is not a dream

I kept quiet when Manchester United lost to Liverpool, putting it down to early season nerves.

I bit my tongue when we crumbled at Manchester City, comforting myself that anyone would struggle at the Etihad against a side like City.

But West Brom? At Old Trafford? Taking off your most creative player in Shinji Kagawa at half-time?

Goodness gracious (substitute your own expletive here), David Moyes! Last week, even after the 4-1 humiliation by City, I took a bet with a fellow United fan who said that the Red Devils would finish outside the top six.

After berating him for his lack of loyalty, I then mocked his football acumen for suggesting that last season's champions - strengthened by the additions of Wilfried Zaha and Marouane Fellaini - would not be one of the top six teams in the Premiership.

I am not laughing at him any more. When I told my nine-year-old son the result of the match played beyond his bedtime, he hung his head in his hands.

"David Moyes can't do it, Acha (father)," he said. "We have been losing ever since Alex Ferguson left." I do understand Ray Houghton, who makes a strong argument that Moyes needs to be given time.

Even Sir Alex, in his parting words, wagged his finger and threatened all United fans to "stand behind" his chosen successor. To give him time.

Out of his depth

However, I cannot help but wonder if Moyes is out of his depth in managing a club like United.

And I am not basing it on his results, his tactics or even his choice of players. What troubles me most is the words that keep coming out of the Scotsman's mouth.

His first major blunder was calling Wayne Rooney a good back-up "in case there is an injury to Robin van Persie".

Rooney immediately asked out of the club, and while he has stayed and played brilliantly, it may be a case of when and not if he will leave United.

Moyes also made the error of publicly talking about players from other clubs that he covets - men like Cesc Fabregas, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale - and was left with egg on his face when they decided to stay or move elsewhere.

With Ferguson, even if the papers were rife with rumours of players he was chasing, the only noise would come when the signing was done and dusted.

Perhaps Ferguson was more aware of the effect such talk could have on his existing squad of players, who might feel that their manager had lost faith in them when going after other stars.

But Moyes' missteps took a dramatic turn yesterday when he said to the media that United were not good enough to win the Champions League, suggesting that they lack the "world-class" players required to do so.

Even if the intent behind his statement was to get the Glazers to fund a buying binge, those words had my ears burning.

Ferguson never EVER suggested that his team were inferior to others, even after being bamboozled by dominant sides like Leo Messi's Barcelona.

Even if Moyes is accurate in rating Bayern Munich and Real Madrid ahead of his team, a Manchester United manager should never admit such things in public.

Someone should tell Moyes that he is at Old Trafford now, not at Everton where his best player was a tall, frizzyhaired Belgian good with his elbows.

And if he doesn't get it, Ferguson should climb out of the director's box, storm into the dressing room and kick a boot in Moyes' direction.

Hard.

Please.

muralis@sph.com.sg


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