"Manchester United has announced that David Moyes has left the club. The club would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he brought to the role."
Club Statement - MANUTD.COM
David Moyes was sacked by Manchester United early this morning after a disappointing 9 months and 22 days at Old Trafford, less than one season into his 6 year contract. Moreover, the sacking was based purely on on-pitch results.
According to reports, Moyes left with coaching staff Steve Round and Jimmy Lumsden, while goalkeeping coach Chris Woods and first team coach Phil Neville will remain with the club for the rest of the season.
Ryan Giggs was appointed interim manager until the end of the season and only after the end of the season will the club look for a permanent manager.
After his appointment, Moyes was dubbed the Chosen One after Sir Alex Ferguson looked to him as his long-term successor.
Most reports said Moyes was hand-picked or chosen by Sir Alex Ferguson. However, it was the Glazer family who signed him. Ferguson just gave his opinion, someone he wanted to be considered, not someone he said should be signed. Moyes wasn't the only manager up for the job, Jose Mourinho was too. But, the final decision rested with the Glazer family.
When the reigns were handed over to Moyes, United had won the Premier League by 11 points and now he leaves the club in 7th position on the table.
Moreover, United have 4 games remaining and are guaranteed to record their lowest points tally in the Premier League at the end of the season - the final humiliation (hopefully).
A dressing room source labelled the performance as "lacking desire and passion" and "the basic heart of the team has disappeared". It had seemed for some time the players had stopped trying for Moyes.
Moyes took just 6 points from 12 games against the teams above United in the table, and on Sunday he was confident he would be given time and money to reshape the club's playing squad.
With the exception of Matt Busby's additional 21 games in charge as emergency manager following Wilf McGuinness's exit in 1970 and the 22 games when Jimmy Murphy stood in for Busby after the Munich crash, Moyes's reign is the third shortest in United history.
United were given a difficult start to the season, playing Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in their first five games.
"I find it hard to believe that's the way the balls came out of the bag, that's for sure," said Moyes.
But his reign began in style with a 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic in the Community Shield at Wembley, followed by a 4-1 win away at Swansea City in the first league game of the season.
It is also the first time since 6 November 1986 that Manchester United have sacked a manager.
WHAT WAS SAID
Gary Neville, who told Sky Sports News:
"I believe in managers being given time. I think they should be allowed to complete their work."
"The idea of giving people three and four and six-year contracts and then getting rid of them after 10 months is something that's foreign to me."
"However, there's no disguising that the football this season has been poor. The results have been poor. As a fan I've not enjoyed watching it. I'm sure David Moyes himself hasn't enjoyed watching it and I can't think of many Man United fans who would have enjoyed watching it either."
Neville also said United's players should bear significant blame for this season's poor form, while Sean Bones of the Manchester United Supporters' Trust pointed the finger at the club's owners.
Bones believes the club has shown a lack of class in the way they went about sacking David Moyes.
Bones said: "This has been done without class and dignity. It's wrong to brief journalists before speaking to the man himself."
"It was a risky decision in the first place to appoint Moyes because he wasn't proven at the highest level - that decision is down to the Glazer family."
"It's a results-based industry, but it's not been done in the right way and the Glazers haven't invested in the club at the right time."
Dwight Yorke said: "What I have seen is a Manchester United team who lack the desire to win a football match. The boys look like they are ready for the end of the season and to go on holiday.
"The players and the manager have to take responsibility - the manager is putting out a team he believes is going to win him a football match. These players have not been able to perform.
"But what stands out even further is the desire from the players - they don't seem to have it. They had a lot of possession during the game but where is the end product? That is not the United of old that we know. Pace and power is what United used to do to other teams, now other teams are doing that to them."
Peter Schmeichel had this to say on Twitter:
As a @ManUtd fan I would like to thank David Moyes for giving his 100% in a very difficult job, and I wish him all the best going forward.
THERE'S HOPE
Manchester United's share price climbed by 1% immediately after the New York Stock Exchange opened following the sacking of David Moyes.
The shares had slumped in value on Monday when reports started surfacing that Moyes was set to be axed.
Yet the official confirmation of his departure was followed by a spike in share price up 27 cents from $17.72 to $17.99 in the first 20 minutes of trading.
MOYES MANCHESTER UNITED RECORDS
34 Games
1.65 Goals per game
1.18 Conceded per game
5/24 Points versus top 4
Total
Games 51
Won 27
Draws 9
Lost 15
Goals For 86
Goals Against 54
Barclays Premier League
Played 34
Won 17
Draws 6
Lost 11
Points 57
UEFA Champions League
Played 10
Won 5
Draws 3
Lost 2
FA Cup
Played 1
Lost 1
Capital One Cup
Played 5
Won 4
Lost 1
Community Shield
Played 1
Won 1
May it not be forgotton that although United didn't win any major trophies, they won the Community Shield under Moyes.
50% - David Moyes had the 3rd best win rate (league games) of any Manchester United manager in history - played 34 and won 17. (@OptaJoe)
MOYES AT UNITED
David Moyes was breaking Manchester United records all season. Unfortunately for him, they were the unwanted ones.
United lost home & away against Everton, Liverpool and Manchester City.
United suffered their first ever home loss to Swansea City.
United suffered first home loss to Newcastle United since 1972.
United suffered first home loss to West Bromwich Albion since 1978.
United suffered first league defeat to Stoke City since 1984.
United lost at home to Everton for the first time in 21 years.
United suffered 3 straight defeats for the first time since 2001.
United lost to Olympiakos for the first time after winning their 4 previous meetings.
It was the first time United conceded a first minute goal in the Premier League.
United were beaten in the League Cup semi-final by Sunderland.
Bayern Munich beat United in the Champions League quarter-final.
United managed only 5 points from a possible 24 against the top 4 - Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal.
The Reds will miss out on Champions League football for the first time since 1995 and could also miss out on European competition altogether for the first time since 1990.
United lost 6 league games at home.
In March, some supporters chartered a plane to fly overhead during their Premier League game against Aston Villa trailing a banner with the words "Wrong One - Moyes Out".
When midfielder Anderson joined Fiorentina on loan in January, Moyes was quoted as saying other United players "wanted out" but he later denied it.
Rio Ferdinand and Robin van Persie made comments about his management style while Javier Hernandez and Wilfried Zaha took to social media.
Danny Welbeck started to consider his future at Old Trafford after becoming frustrated at regularly being played out of his favoured position.
SUCCESSFUL & FAILED TRANSFERS
United endured a difficult summer transfer window and failed in reported bids for Barcelona's Thiago Alcantara and Cesc Fabregas.
A double bid for Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines was dismissed as "derisory and insulting" by Moyes's old club Everton, although Fellaini finally joined on deadline day.
Moyes did manage deals worth £66m for Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata and Guillermo Varela, but the task of spending a summer transfer fund reported to be in the region of £200m might fall to his successor.
POSSIBLE SUCCESSORS
Ryan Giggs
Jurgen Klopp
Laurent Blanc
Antonio Conte
Carlos Queiroz
Diego Simeone
Louis Van Gaal
Roberto Martinez
Sir Alex Ferguson
On the one hand, United have not approached any potential candidate. On the other hand, Jurgen Klopp has revealed that he is committed to Borussia Dortmund, which means he is not under serious consideration at this stage.
Louis van Gaal is the favourite to replace Moyes after the World Cup, with Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp ruling themselves out.
Klopp said: "Man United's a great club and I feel very familiar with their wonderful fans. But my commitment to Dortmund and the people is not breakable."
