David Moyes looks a much better manager now than he did six months ago.
The Scot has been the unexpected beneficiary of Louis van Gaal’s early struggles to come to grips with managing Manchester United.
The chief criticism of Moyes during his nine months at Old Trafford was that the club was too big for him.
He didn’t have a record of winning trophies or dealing at the highest end of the transfer market. He simply wasn’t up to the job of leading the world’s biggest football institution.
What was needed was a man with a history of success.
A man whose very name would command instant respect. A man with an international not just a national reputation.
A man who could attract the world’s best players by the mere force of his personality.
So they appointed one and United have looked even more of a mess than they did under Moyes.
Van Gaal arrived off the back of an impressive World Cup in which he came across as innovative and inspirational.
The United Board, apparently so reluctant to fund Moyes’s transfer targets such as Cesc Fabregas, instantly broke open the piggy bank and handed the Dutchman £150-million for ‘A’ list players, plus a £50-million striker on loan for the season.
Sam Allardyce made the point before West Ham met United at Old Trafford yesterday that Moyes has every right to ask why he wasn’t afforded that sort of backing.
All along, the former Everton manager has never wavered from his claim that United had told him this was a long-term project and that he had time.
Sure, Moyes didn’t look very impressive when a summer of high-profile transfer chases concluded with the hasty deadline day arrival of his old player Marouane
Fellaini for an overblown £27-million.
But how much of that was down to the inexperience even reluctance of new Executive Vice-chairman Ed Woodward, the man behind the deals?
January brought Juan Mata a player they didn’t really need to take Moyes’ spending to £64-million. A reasonable amount of money but, over two windows, nothing special.
So should Moyes be demanding why the club didn’t trust him with the real cash?
It would be seen as sour grapes, so perhaps not.
Best if the Scot just sits back and waits to see if Van Gaal can do any more to help rebuild his damaged reputation.
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