David Moyes will today confront the theatre which bore witness to the darkest period of his career: he returns to the sideline at Old Trafford, the trench from which he once ordered his United players to sling in 81 crosses against Fulham.
Moyes was ultimately sacked just ten months into his six-year contract at United, and returns to Old Trafford today with Sunderland. Whereas once Moyes harboured notions of being the next long-lasting Scot in the United job, he will today troop up the sideline prioritising points over personal satisfaction: Sunderland need a positive result, as they sit in the relegation zone, a point from safety.
Ahead of his return, Moyes has had to deal with some Grade A patronising by Jose Mourinho, who was overlooked as Ferguson's successor back in 2013. Mourinho told the press:
I wouldn’t mind to be at a club with great expectations but to have Ryan Giggs and Chicharito ,I think Vidic [was] still in the team. Evra. I wouldn’t mind.
I don’t feel it as a burden. I feel the great history of the club as only a positive thing and not negative things. The problem is, if you have the conditions to follow that success of history. And then that’s a different story.
The only thing is Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Giggs and Butt – all those guys 25, 26, 27; it’s another thing to have them at 31, 32.
Moyes has also been talking to the press, and has reminiscing in the build-up to the game, revealing that he missed out on the signing of a host of top players, including Toni Kroos (a deal was agreed only for Moyes to be sacked and Van Gaal to veto the deal) and Gareth Bale, who chose Madrid despite United offering him more money.
He also revealed that some of United's tradition still persists around the club, despite the increased commercialism and the turnover of managers at the club of late:
There was a classy moment this week, which I think reflects Manchester United more than anything. My wife got a call from Norma Charlton, Bobby Charlton’s wife, to ask her to go to the game on Boxing Day. That’s the Manchester United way. That’s class – and it was very much appreciated.
[Guardian]
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