This blog cannot help but be fascinated with the situation
at Manchester United this season. Ever since Ferguson hand picked and appointed
Moyes as the new manager of the world’s biggest club the focus and attention on
him has been extreme. To say he has struggled under the intense scrutiny and expectation is an understatement. After just six months in, United fans will be thinking that there is five and a half years remaining of this if the Glazers uphold their loyalty
to his contract. That is a long time away and it can be seen in two ways; a
chance to build or destroy. As this blog will discuss, Moyes appears determined
to build an expensively assembled new squad, the question is can the Glazers
and the fans trust him to make his managerial career at United a success?
One can only look across at Liverpool and see what happened
to a once great and powerful club in the wrong hands. Souness pretty much
destroyed what was a dynasty at Anfield, a feat which has still yet to see
Liverpool reach the heights they did in the 70’s and 80’s. Although a European
cup has been won along with other domestic and European trophies the league has
evaded Merseyside since the early 90’s.
It is a lesson in the inevitable demise of a dominant club. To maintain the status of champions is no easy feat and many clubs go through cycles of success and (relative) failure. The drop from the top is hard to take for those who only know success. Under Moyes Man United are experiencing a similar humbling experience this season, how long it will last is the question people are asking.
A man lacking in experience
It is a lesson in the inevitable demise of a dominant club. To maintain the status of champions is no easy feat and many clubs go through cycles of success and (relative) failure. The drop from the top is hard to take for those who only know success. Under Moyes Man United are experiencing a similar humbling experience this season, how long it will last is the question people are asking.
A man lacking in experience
It was probably the hardest challenge any manager in recent years has had to embark on and thus it was never going to be easy for a man who lacked the experience
of a great club to make an immediate impact. Other men may have
been better options and Moyes has been guilty of of not making smarter and braver
decisions regarding players and backroom staff.
To be honest his first six months have screamed of inexperience, pressure and naivety. His very honest and open approach in the summer with the media was a big error as was his (and Ed Woodward’s) failure in the transfer window. Yet above all it appears he can into an environment which required a certain sense of arrogance, belief and control in terms of the squad he inherited, and it this which he has struggled the most with.
Alex Ferguson made sure never to give the players an inch, always on them like hawks. It was a method which served him well for so many years and he never allowed any player to undermine him or his leadership. The players appear to have taken liberties with Moyes and he has appeared to lack the authority to stamp his mark on the club.
The evidence of this has been on the pitch; lack of focus from the team in terms of conceding early goals and more worryingly late costly goals highlights concentration and perhaps fitness issues. Errors from experienced players along with a lack of discipline adds to the growing feeling that the players are frustrated and distrustful in the new managers methods and approach.
Moyes has a lot to learn about managing a big club and this negative experience may serve him well in the long term, yet it is clear that United are in the midst of their biggest shake-up in a long time and Moyes’ job is to make this transition as smooth and ultimately as successful as possible.
A need to rebuild
To be honest his first six months have screamed of inexperience, pressure and naivety. His very honest and open approach in the summer with the media was a big error as was his (and Ed Woodward’s) failure in the transfer window. Yet above all it appears he can into an environment which required a certain sense of arrogance, belief and control in terms of the squad he inherited, and it this which he has struggled the most with.
Alex Ferguson made sure never to give the players an inch, always on them like hawks. It was a method which served him well for so many years and he never allowed any player to undermine him or his leadership. The players appear to have taken liberties with Moyes and he has appeared to lack the authority to stamp his mark on the club.
The evidence of this has been on the pitch; lack of focus from the team in terms of conceding early goals and more worryingly late costly goals highlights concentration and perhaps fitness issues. Errors from experienced players along with a lack of discipline adds to the growing feeling that the players are frustrated and distrustful in the new managers methods and approach.
Moyes has a lot to learn about managing a big club and this negative experience may serve him well in the long term, yet it is clear that United are in the midst of their biggest shake-up in a long time and Moyes’ job is to make this transition as smooth and ultimately as successful as possible.
A need to rebuild
Let’s be fair to Moyes, this is not the side who dominated
the league last season. Yes you can blame injuries and blame training methods
for that yet the truth is that those players who performed so strongly last
year have lost that drive and motivation which took them to the title last
year.
One can only imagine what Ferguson told the players after they lost the title in such a bitter way to City the year before. It was a feeling of ‘one last go’ to end on a high. Van Persie was a key addition to the side and it was evident in retrospect that Ferguson was admitting that this would be his final throw and push to end with a title triumph.
Moyes therefore was left with the job of inheriting a group of players who were no longer motivated highly enough for United to stay on top; Ferdinand was laying seeds for his future, Vidic’s injuries and age has made him a shell of what he was, Evra hasn’t been the same since the 2010 World Cup, Scholes (on who was United’s saviour so many times) had retired, Giggs was in the twilight years, even Carrick was past his best now too. And let’s not forget the under-performers in Nani, Young, Valencia, Anderson and even Kagawa and Cleverly. Perhaps it was only Rooney and Van Persie who offered genuine quality anymore and Van Persie does not seem to enjoy the new regime.
The majority of this group were those who were part of the dominant side of 2006-2009, and post Ronaldo leaving had been on a steady decline. Ferguson appeared either too loyal or too old to make the required changes of which he would have done earlier in his career. Yes he added new pieces like De Gea, Rafael, Jones and Smalling and nurtured players like Welbeck yet it was clear that United had become, in terms of a ‘big’ club distinctly average.
To bring in Moyes was not going to be the catalyst to re-energise many of the older players and so it appears that Moyes remit was very much about moulding a new United. The dreaded ‘transitional’ period.
People may say that Mourinho could have energised this group and perhaps they are correct. But would he have performed the necessary transition on which the club required? Moyes job is to bring in a new era for the club. The question is, how successful can he make it?
A high risk project
The Glazers are in a difficult situation because they have been told to bring in a manager who shares the ‘values’ of the club yet who is proving to find the role rather difficult. United’s way is not to sack their managers but support them and therefore the owners have a rather risky situation; back a man with substantial funds who appears a risk for the clubs future.
If we judge Moyes on what he has achieved so far it does appear that if he wants his owners to back him, then he has not proved deserving of it since. His failed attempts for players like Thiago, Fabregas and Herrara pointed towards a ‘type’ of player he wished to bring in. Yet the constant setbacks or failures to complete the deals reflected poorly on the manager and the new chief executive. Yet to then in a desperate attempt to make something from the window they bring in Fellaini, a player who doesn’t fit in with the type of player they were searching for all the summer made little sense at all.
Yes he was a player who many thought United needed. But that has proven to be a poor buy and a near waste of £28m. Perhaps signing him before his release fee expired would have been financially sensible and allowed the player to gel with his teammates more successfully.
Add in to the whole saga the Ozil situation and you cannot help but think Moyes was gifted the perfect ‘type’ he had been searching for all summer, and the most talented of them all, and he passed on it. Incredibly strange and very damaging for the clubs prospects since.
Mata - The Messiah?
One can only imagine what Ferguson told the players after they lost the title in such a bitter way to City the year before. It was a feeling of ‘one last go’ to end on a high. Van Persie was a key addition to the side and it was evident in retrospect that Ferguson was admitting that this would be his final throw and push to end with a title triumph.
Moyes therefore was left with the job of inheriting a group of players who were no longer motivated highly enough for United to stay on top; Ferdinand was laying seeds for his future, Vidic’s injuries and age has made him a shell of what he was, Evra hasn’t been the same since the 2010 World Cup, Scholes (on who was United’s saviour so many times) had retired, Giggs was in the twilight years, even Carrick was past his best now too. And let’s not forget the under-performers in Nani, Young, Valencia, Anderson and even Kagawa and Cleverly. Perhaps it was only Rooney and Van Persie who offered genuine quality anymore and Van Persie does not seem to enjoy the new regime.
The majority of this group were those who were part of the dominant side of 2006-2009, and post Ronaldo leaving had been on a steady decline. Ferguson appeared either too loyal or too old to make the required changes of which he would have done earlier in his career. Yes he added new pieces like De Gea, Rafael, Jones and Smalling and nurtured players like Welbeck yet it was clear that United had become, in terms of a ‘big’ club distinctly average.
To bring in Moyes was not going to be the catalyst to re-energise many of the older players and so it appears that Moyes remit was very much about moulding a new United. The dreaded ‘transitional’ period.
People may say that Mourinho could have energised this group and perhaps they are correct. But would he have performed the necessary transition on which the club required? Moyes job is to bring in a new era for the club. The question is, how successful can he make it?
A high risk project
The Glazers are in a difficult situation because they have been told to bring in a manager who shares the ‘values’ of the club yet who is proving to find the role rather difficult. United’s way is not to sack their managers but support them and therefore the owners have a rather risky situation; back a man with substantial funds who appears a risk for the clubs future.
If we judge Moyes on what he has achieved so far it does appear that if he wants his owners to back him, then he has not proved deserving of it since. His failed attempts for players like Thiago, Fabregas and Herrara pointed towards a ‘type’ of player he wished to bring in. Yet the constant setbacks or failures to complete the deals reflected poorly on the manager and the new chief executive. Yet to then in a desperate attempt to make something from the window they bring in Fellaini, a player who doesn’t fit in with the type of player they were searching for all the summer made little sense at all.
Yes he was a player who many thought United needed. But that has proven to be a poor buy and a near waste of £28m. Perhaps signing him before his release fee expired would have been financially sensible and allowed the player to gel with his teammates more successfully.
Add in to the whole saga the Ozil situation and you cannot help but think Moyes was gifted the perfect ‘type’ he had been searching for all summer, and the most talented of them all, and he passed on it. Incredibly strange and very damaging for the clubs prospects since.
Mata - The Messiah?
Now we have the situation of a much smoother and quicker
transaction between United and Chelsea for Juan Mata. Yet this deal throws up
many more problems than solutions for Moyes future. Firstly, the cost. Although
Mata has been great for Chelsea since he arrived, a time in which they won the
Champions League and Europa League it is evident that Mourinho does not see him
fit into his style of play.
The fact Chelsea are closer to winning the league without Mata in the side than when he was their key playmaker does make one think the ‘Special One’ knows what he is doing. For United to pay £37m for a player who is evidently deemed almost surplus to requirements except for the ‘smaller’ games or more cameo roles does look like an extreme case of over-spending. It is not as bad as Liverpool’s summer of over-spending but does make you think about Moyes ability to deal larger sums of money.
At Everton he was the master of finding young or inexpensive talent yet proved that his big money signings were often flops; Bilyaletdinov and Yakubu at £11m each spring to mind. It does seem with Moyes that the more he is allowed to spend, the less impressive his decision making becomes. The case applies with Fellaini and Mata. A combined £70m on these players does look extremely steep.
Many have pointed towards a lack of creativity in the side and thus the need to sign Mata. Yet there are players like Kagawa, Cleverly, Nani and the burgenoing talent of Januzaj there to provide and create. If these players are underperforming (all but Januzaj are) then should questions not be asked to why Moyes is not able to get the best from the creative players he has?
Spending tends to admit a failure to work things out on the training ground and Moyes has played the classic hand of blaming a lack of quality and a need to spend for his sides poor season. This screams of poor management on his part because these are top players and if they are under performing he must be a contributing factor. Spending almost £40m on a player is another sign of desperation from Moyes. And it doesn't appear to end there. The worry is for United that this is just the start of the ‘project’.
It's all about projects
Many are saying to judge Moyes after two seasons and one can only imagine what he will bring in. His ambitions to bring in ‘top talent’ has not been proven yet with his two captures and one wonders how likely Moyes can attract real world class players. What may happen instead is that he overpays for good, but not great players, with clubs sensing his desperation to spend big. If he is given £100-150m to spend in the summer does this guarantee United to be challenging once more?
Names like Reus, Mandzukic, Vidal, Pogba, Kroos, Luke Shaw, Coentrao have all been linked with United. Yet how realistic are some of these, would they really want to come to United to play with Moyes? It also appears to go against the principles and methods of Ferguson who often neglected top talent for developing youth (however some United fans will say that was his downfall and a reason why United didn't win as many European cups as perhaps they should have).
This project does appear a huge gamble both financially for the club and its business interests because it does appear that the problem is twofold; firstly United have a manager who lacks the experience of this level while he is competing with more competent and experienced coaches. And secondly United are far behind other sides in terms of their ‘project’. This is where Ferguson can be held accountable.
The fact Chelsea are closer to winning the league without Mata in the side than when he was their key playmaker does make one think the ‘Special One’ knows what he is doing. For United to pay £37m for a player who is evidently deemed almost surplus to requirements except for the ‘smaller’ games or more cameo roles does look like an extreme case of over-spending. It is not as bad as Liverpool’s summer of over-spending but does make you think about Moyes ability to deal larger sums of money.
At Everton he was the master of finding young or inexpensive talent yet proved that his big money signings were often flops; Bilyaletdinov and Yakubu at £11m each spring to mind. It does seem with Moyes that the more he is allowed to spend, the less impressive his decision making becomes. The case applies with Fellaini and Mata. A combined £70m on these players does look extremely steep.
Many have pointed towards a lack of creativity in the side and thus the need to sign Mata. Yet there are players like Kagawa, Cleverly, Nani and the burgenoing talent of Januzaj there to provide and create. If these players are underperforming (all but Januzaj are) then should questions not be asked to why Moyes is not able to get the best from the creative players he has?
Spending tends to admit a failure to work things out on the training ground and Moyes has played the classic hand of blaming a lack of quality and a need to spend for his sides poor season. This screams of poor management on his part because these are top players and if they are under performing he must be a contributing factor. Spending almost £40m on a player is another sign of desperation from Moyes. And it doesn't appear to end there. The worry is for United that this is just the start of the ‘project’.
It's all about projects
Many are saying to judge Moyes after two seasons and one can only imagine what he will bring in. His ambitions to bring in ‘top talent’ has not been proven yet with his two captures and one wonders how likely Moyes can attract real world class players. What may happen instead is that he overpays for good, but not great players, with clubs sensing his desperation to spend big. If he is given £100-150m to spend in the summer does this guarantee United to be challenging once more?
Names like Reus, Mandzukic, Vidal, Pogba, Kroos, Luke Shaw, Coentrao have all been linked with United. Yet how realistic are some of these, would they really want to come to United to play with Moyes? It also appears to go against the principles and methods of Ferguson who often neglected top talent for developing youth (however some United fans will say that was his downfall and a reason why United didn't win as many European cups as perhaps they should have).
This project does appear a huge gamble both financially for the club and its business interests because it does appear that the problem is twofold; firstly United have a manager who lacks the experience of this level while he is competing with more competent and experienced coaches. And secondly United are far behind other sides in terms of their ‘project’. This is where Ferguson can be held accountable.
For the past few years Chelsea have been building a very
interesting and modern type of project involving the targeting of young
promising talent in which they then loan out to sides across Europe who in turn
nurture and develop these players. Some have ridiculed this or found
it unfair it is proving to be a smart and strategic plan. Although the club has
struggled to challenge for the title it was evident they were ‘building’
something long term and this season under Mourinho the project is very much
alive.
The burgeoning talents of Hazard and Oscar have understandably pushed Mata aside and for good reason. Both players look set to become world class.Now with the arrival of Matic, and the return of players like Courtois and Lukaku the following season looks to have a stronger and more dominant Chelsea built for the modern game. Chelsea are several years into their well planned (or fortunate) project which only looks to be getting stronger.
The burgeoning talents of Hazard and Oscar have understandably pushed Mata aside and for good reason. Both players look set to become world class.Now with the arrival of Matic, and the return of players like Courtois and Lukaku the following season looks to have a stronger and more dominant Chelsea built for the modern game. Chelsea are several years into their well planned (or fortunate) project which only looks to be getting stronger.
Arsenal’s project has been building slowly due to their
financial model of sustainability yet it is evident that Wenger is embarking on
his third ‘project’ at the club. From France, to Spain and now to Germany
Wenger anticipates where the game is heading and looks to build his side from
this vision. With increased finances available he has built a new team around a German influx of talent in Mertesacker, Podolski and Ozil
along with Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld. It is a project which is very much alive and prospering. Their approach for Mario Gotze in 2012 and
now their pursuit of Draxler from Schalke is evidence that Wenger is and has
been building his new side in the German way and that their is vision and ambition at Arsenal.
Man City’s project is
very much alive and proving to be the most formidable in the league. It looks
to be equipped with the necessary needs and attributes required to succeed
domestically and in Europe. With their new coach in place and objectives to
dominate the coming years Man City look the most complete club in England.
Even Liverpool and Spurs have their own ‘projects’ in place
in terms of investment in players and style of play, both are in their infancy
still yet Rodgers appears to have got his side working to his formula well.
And then when you look at United and what Moyes has inherited you see a case of very little forward thinking and planning. You see a new manager who is trying to put his style and stamp on the club and you cannot help but see the need for a massive shakeup in players in the next 18 months.
Although Ferguson left him with a title winning side he didn’t really give him all so much to work with. When Guardiola took over Barca in 2008 he had an underperforming side who possessed the rising world class talents of Iniesta and Messi along with experienced players in their prime. United’s problem is that their young talents are limited except for Januzaj and their experienced players are past their best physically and mentally.
An overhaul appears the only solution yet United may risk spending over £200m on a new side which is built under Moyes style and vision. The unfortunate truth is that the Glazers appear committed to back a manager substantially who overspends drastically and who one cannot guarantee to challenge for the top four, yet alone be title contenders again.
The other top sides in the league have been building smartly
for several years and are much further ahead than United. Moyes is now playing catch up with their rivals. Now this may not be a
concern if they had an experienced manager who was used to this environment and
expectation yet the problem appears to be that United are backing a manager who
seems a major risk to United's brand and success. United may be in the midst of their Souness Liverpool phase,
that could mean years or decades of ‘relative failure’ ahead.
Alex Ferguson will be remembered as one of the greatest
managers of all time yet there is no doubt he left the club in the hands of a
man who was not ready or prepared for this role and who inherited a squad which
needed such an overhaul that it was always going to be a poisoned chalice. Mata may prove to be a great for United yet at this time it looks like nothing more than desperation for a club who appear to have lost their way.
The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address
The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address
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