Former Manchester United manager David Moyes has revealed that the club came close to signing some major names during his reign at Old Trafford.
In an exclusive interview with Mail Online, the Scot revealed that he wasn't afforded the time at the club to sound out exactly what was needed in terms of the personnel, though he did confirm that United were in the market for Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Cesc Fabregas.
However, the club only ended up signing Marouane Fellaini during his first summer in charge - a move which he has been criticised for. Moyes sees similarities between his approach and new coach Louis van Gaal's, who has stated he wants to explore what he has available to him before going out to buy more players.
The former Everton manager said: "I’ve been listening to Louis van Gaal and he has been saying similar things. For instance the fact that he wants to give every player an opportunity to show what they can do.
"We tried to bring players in during the summer transfer window but they didn’t materialise. It certainly wasn’t for the lack of trying. It wasn’t indecision. The complete opposite.
"It’s been well documented that we wanted Fabregas, Bale and Ronaldo. There was talk of Ronaldo when I first arrived. We were close to getting a couple of major names. I’m not getting in a blame game here but things just didn’t materialise. I had taken over from the most successful manager in history. The chief executive had taken over from one of the most renowned administrators in the game [David Gill]. So it was a new job for two people."
Moyes believes he was not given enough time to 'succeed or fail' at Old Trafford, after being sacked just ten months into his role. He also talked about the reasons for leaving Everton, saying he was led to believe United would have given him the opportunity and time to prove himself.
"I would never have left a job. The job at Everton was so good. I worked for a great chairman, great people at the club.
"It was not easy to begin with at Everton either. We had a couple of tough years before we had the club the way we wanted it. But the reason I went to United was because I thought I was joining a club that would give me time. That was the big thing. I didn’t want to change anything immediately. I wanted to take my time working out what I thought was needed.
"But it was the right job for me. I’d been at Everton for more than 11 years. We’d qualified for the Champions League, got to an FA Cup final, I’d been voted manager of the season three times. I was among the most experienced managers in the Premier League. United had always had British managers."
Moyes reflected on the fact that he found it devastating to lose his job at United, and was also upset that the news leaked to the media before he even knew that he was being sacked.
"I was devastated to lose the job because it was something I felt I could make a real success of. We knew it was going to take time to make the necessary changes. It was going to take time to evolve. But we were in the process of making other important changes. In the end, I don’t feel I was given time to succeed or fail.
"In the end it was difficult for my family, the way we discovered — via the media — that I’d lost my job."
Moyes failed to thank the players for their contributions in his parting statement after leaving, but reaffirmed that his relationships with the playing staff were healthy.
He said: "On the day I lost my job I spoke to every player at the training ground. I called the players into the dressing room at 10am that morning and told them how disappointed I was; how surprised I was that it had ended so soon. But I told them that they were playing for a great club. I told them that they should all embrace it and realise how fortunate they are.
"The players were how you would expect them to be. Quiet but respectful. If you’re a Manchester United player you have to have a lot of respect. It was the first time I’d ever had to give a speech like that. Never before in my career. But I felt it was the right thing to do, to address them before I left.
"I had a good relationship with Robin [van Persie]. I liked him a lot. He was an intelligent guy. He had more injuries than the previous season but we did everything we could to get him fit."
Moyes also confirmed that he would have made Wayne Rooney captain at the club had he stayed on, a role which Rooney has been given now under van Gaal.
"Wayne would have become captain under me because of where he’s at now as a player. I think in time he may develop into a midfield player. He’s a great centre-forward but in the coming years I can see that happening. He can play in a number of positions. He’s very experienced now. Not a lot fazes him. I think he might need that responsibility now. Certainly for the next part of his career. Wayne worked as hard as anyone last year. He got himself in great condition, he worked great for me and he was great for the team."
0 coment�rios:
Post a Comment