David Moyes (Photo comparison courtesy of a Twitter user)
50-year-old Manchester United manager (coach), David
Moyes, who assumed the reins from legendary fellow Scotsman, but
proceeded to make ill-advised changes to one of the biggest football
(soccer) clubs in the world, has been sensationally sacked today
after 10-months on the job. In the October 3, 2013 article "
Sir
Alex Ferguson's Insightful Interview With Charlie Rose" the
Judiciary Report stated:
"Life after Ferguson has
been rough for Manchester United. Ferguson's successor, whom he
appointed, has made some decisions I do not agree with. The
Telegraph reported new manager, David Moyes, fired much of
Ferguson's coaching staff, people the team are used to and rely on,
in favor of his folks he brought in. It was a mistake discarding the
winning blueprint left behind by Ferguson. All great leaders leave a
solid blueprint behind, whether it be sports, business or politics.
This past weekend Moyes
also told the team and the world, via an interview, he does not
believe Manchester United has a chance at winning Champion's League.
I was stunned a manager/coach said something like that. Even if he
believes that, you don't tell a team/athlete that. It was surprising
to read a man on Moyes' level do that (not that I'm complaining as
Manchester United's rival Arsenal is my favorite). However, right is
right and wrong is wrong and you just don't say things like that to
your athletes.
Having stated that, I have
to wonder how Ferguson feels about Moyes firing his coaching staff
and telling the team forget about winning Champion's League because
you won't. I would love to state it's reverse psychology, but I know
better - it was just a terrible idea.
I watched an old Mike
Tyson fight a few weeks ago, remembering how much (my family and) I
loved to watch him box when I was a kid in the 80s, especially the
way he'd quickly knock people out. Seriously, if you quickly went to
the kitchen for some water or the bathroom to pee, you'd miss the
fight. Tyson would crick his neck, then promptly kick your butt.
Tyson went into the ring
with the attitude and visage of a gladiator. He didn't flinch and
tried to psych out his opponents before he even threw the first
punch. It was his game face and it worked. Tyson stated if he stared
you down with confidence and you flinched, he knew he had you
(meaning you were going to lose the match). Moyes telling the world
Manchester United won't win Champion's League was a major flinch
empowering rivals. Call it the flinch "heard around the world."
Psychology is a big part
of sports. Lining up the mind with the body creates a better
performance. A demoralized, panicked and unsure mind will translate
into an inferior performance. If your own manager/coach is telling
you your not going to win, that's how you're going to play, riddled
with doubt and defeat the minute you get out there..."
Well, 7-months later Manchester United has firmly
imploded, with their worst finish in the club's storied history.
There's a phrase that goes, "If it ain't broke don't fix it." Herein
lies David Moyes mistake at Manchester United. As stated on the site
over 7-months ago, Moyes should not have fired Manchester United's
preexisting, championship winning coaching staff, replacing them
with his own associates.
He could have simply brought in a couple
people he's worked with if it was that important to him (paid for
out of his salary). He tampered with a winning formula and
additionally removed the players' security blanket of familiarity in
sacking everyone they'd worked with for years.
David Moyes
One should only deconstruct and put back together badly losing teams. You shouldn't wreck winning title holders. It's
like crushing/leveling a field with a perfectly ripe crop, rather
than harvesting the fruits and vegetables on the trees. You only
break up dry, fallow ground, planting new seeds and watering and
nurturing it into a great crop.
A handful of people online have blamed Ferguson for
choosing Moyes as his successor, but the latter deviated from the
former's instructions. Ferguson left a blueprint behind that Moyes
discarded, in favor of his own plans and unproven people. Once
again, against the former manager's advice, Moyes fired Ferguson's
winning coaching staff, replacing them with his own people.
Another problem was based on his expressions, Moyes
always looked like he was in over his head, with the pressure of
having moved to the then top club in the league getting to him. He
looked perpetually panicked and doubtful, with expressions that
became online memes on social networking. To rival managers, such
expressions is the equivalent of sharks sensing blood in the water
and they pounced on Moyes. His squad also picked up on it and became
dispirited and doubtful. They were no longer confident and it showed
in their expressions and body language on the pitch. It impacted
their play. They weren't playing like Manchester United anymore.
It's as though they forgot they were the reigning champs.
Arsene Wenger of Arsenal has a serious expression
during matches, like he's reasoning and thinking about maneuvers.
You really don't know what he's thinking based on his expressions
and that's how it should be. He has many wins and accomplishments
under his belt. As I've stated on Twitter, Jose Mourinho of Chelsea
reminds me of Dr. Evil, but with hair and a tan (LOL). He issues
aggressive, demoralizing quotes to opponents, in the vein of Dr.
Evil, intimidating rivals before they even hit the pitch. He stands
on, not beside the pitch (dude, you know you're really not supposed
to do that LOL) with his game face on and it works.
Ferguson, considered the top football manager in
history, looked confident and intimidating during games, chewing the
life out of his chewing gum like he was holding a grudge against it
and anyone who tried to beat his squad. He'd stare people down like
a gangster (LOL). He always had that "I'm more of a man than you"
look on his face to intimidate rivals and it worked.
At the end of the day, football is also a business.
Poor results on the pitch impact the bottom-line and
ticket/merchandising sales will decline. Bills don't pay themselves.
Old Trafford's massive grounds costs money to maintain and the staff
needs to be paid as well. The same goes for all teams. The Glazers
borrowed a whopping $1.3 billion dollars against Manchester United.
The loan must be repaid and poor results on the pitch unquestionably
jeopardizes their ability to meet their financial obligations.
Alex Ferguson
Some state Moyes can console himself with his pay,
but no one who loves football wants to experience what he did (he
made some wrong turns that backfired). Money doesn't fix that when
it comes to career fulfillment in wanting to do very well via great
results on the tables. However, Moyes can recover in another post
and with a $6,000,000 check to fall back on for 10-months work at
Manchester United. It's not the end of the world. In life you have
to learn to laugh at yourself and be resilient.
Side Bar: Coaching is in my blood. I think I
would make a decent terrifying football manager.
I'd probably be in trouble with the league every week, though:
Disciplinary commission: You were overheard
telling a striker to FLING a rival out of the way on the pitch.
Me: No, you misheard. I told him to SING to him in a gesture
symbolic of brotherhood, freedom and love. "Let freedom ring!" You
know how much I love music.
Then, after I was unjustly cleared on the flagrant
violation of league rules, I'd privately commend my offending player
laughing, "Did you see how he went airborne when you flung him out
of the way and scored that goal. He should totally get air miles for
flying across the pitch like Superman. There will be something extra
in your check for that." I'm just kidding. I have to state that
because I don't want this article working against me in the future
(LOL).
In all honesty, it would be wonderful to build a
team from the ground up in the lower league, then help it rise to
the top.
