8. Hiring David Moyes
Nigel French/EMPICS SportWhen Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement from football management in May 2013, the eulogies came in thick and fast. After weeks of grieving, however, talk quickly turned to who would replace the venerable Scot at the Old Trafford helm. The likes of Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp were linked with the vacancy, but in the end the top job went to David Moyes. Eyebrows were raised in some quarters when Moyes left his job at Everton to take over, with critics pointing to his lack of silverware and title-winning experience. Those criticisms were proved just when, after just 10 months, the ex-Toffees chief was unceremoniously axed as United floundered to seventh place under his leadership. United eventually agreed a compensation package with Moyes amounting to
a reported £7 million, the cost of unburdening him from his six-year contract at the club.