Should United have persevered with Moyes

Manchester United is a club associated with dignity and class, but those values look to be consigned to the history books with an appalling and short-sighted decision to sack David Moyes as manager.

That Moyes looks to have been handed his P45 after just a season in charge is a disgrace and the decision is not only the wrong one, but may come back to haunt United in the future.

Whoever followed Alex Ferguson into the Old Trafford hot seat faced the biggest managerial challenge of their career, and it was one which Moyes would have risen to had he been given time. Time, unfortunately, has become an exceptionally precious commodity in modern football and the game has ultimately become worse for it.

In management short cuts and quick fixes rarely work and certainly such a knee-jerk response such as this does little to address the problems at United which Moyes had begun to tackle.

It was not an overnight process and it was never going to be. And it is foolish to think a new appointment will bring instant success.

Yes, there may be an initial upturn in results but taking such a short-term view will not bring the long-term success and sustainability needed at Old Trafford. With time Moyes could have built another dynasty with the Red Devils, but sadly he will never get that opportunity. It was a chance he had well and truly earned as well, having been a managerial apprenticeship at Preston before he graduated to a decade of achievement at Everton.

Much of what Roberto Martinez has been able to achieve with the Toffees this season has been because of what Moyes left him to work with at Goodison Park after 11 years of commendable work.

There has been, to an extent, an attempt to rewrite what Moyes did at Everton because of the impact Martinez has made.

Indeed Moyes has perhaps been an unfortunate victim of his own work, along with the prominent rise of Merseyside’s other club Liverpool.

Moyes is an excellent coach, a great tactician, a shrew operator in the transfer market and a fine man-manager.

United would have eventually reaped the benefits of his work had he been afforded that time. Perhaps he just wasn’t sexy enough for some. That cannot not be said of the excellent support he enjoyed on the terraces at Old Trafford where he always had his name sung.

Those match-going United fans realise a period of instability was always going to be needed after Ferguson retired.

Moyes was the ‘Chosen One’ by Ferguson because of his principles and unstinting work ethic and it is precisely these values that United need to get back on track.

It besmirches Ferguson’s judgement as well. Whichever boardroom suit has made the decision to get rid of Moyes is sticking two fingers up to the great man.

What Fergie doesn’t know about football isn’t worth knowing, and the fact the man he choose to replace him has been so easily discarded will hurt and angerhim.

The decision to relieve Moyes of his duties also sets an incredibly dangerous precedent for the next United boss.

Moyes has barely felt at home at United before being removed — what if his successor is unable to produce an instant miracle? Does he also get the boot after a year as well? Clubs are shooting themselves in the foot with such an approach — which manager is going to want to go to a club where he could be hung out to dry after just a season?

Moyes also had a lengthy deal at United — can the club keep afford to be sacking their manager every season from a financial point of view until they get it right?

Currently there are more questions than answers at United, Moyes at least deserved the chance to answer some of those that were asked of him.