David Moyes Sacked: 5 Reasons Man Utd Job Was Impossible

1. Inexperience

You can't blame David Moyes for taking the United job. It was the chance of a lifetime, to write himself into the history books of one of the most prestigious clubs in football history. What should be called into question is Man United's wisdom in hiring him, not because of a lack of talent on his behalf, but a lack of experience at the top table. Moyes had dragged Everton up from a relegation-threatened side to a regular contender for the top six slots in the Premier League, an achievement which should not be underplayed, yet there's a world of difference between that and being expected to at least challenge for silverware at the highest level every season. Moyes never won a cup at Everton, which didn't matter because his steadying hand meant the club were on a constant upward trend. Just as Sir Alex was allowed a few barren years at United thanks to his distinguished history and dedication to the club, Moyes was never expected to trouble the Everton trophy cabinet because it was down to his work that they were finally on the right track. There was no such settling in period waiting for him at United. The club's board may not have expected him to win the league or possibly even a trophy in his first season, with Champions League qualification the most likely minimum expectation, it was still a level of pressure far beyond anything Moyes had experienced before. His appointment appeared to be the result of United seeking a protege in the same Scottish hardman mould as Sir Alex, yet such an approach surely failed to take into account how much football and the club had changed since 1986. Sir Alex endured far worse seasons during his early days at United than Moyes this year - United finished 11th in their first season under Ferguson and there were calls for him to be sacked in 1989 - but the United of today has far greater concerns, whether they be preserving the club's reputation or their financial stability, making a three year honeymoon period out of the question. Sir Alex made the transition from a smaller club because he had time to make it work and adapt to the change in circumstances. Moyes was offered no such grace. Had Moyes won a cup or two at Everton, or at least reached the group stages of the Champions League in 2005, it might have been a different story. He'd have known the pressure of being expected to repeat his successes, of managing a club with silverware or European football in its recent history rather than as something to aspire to in the long term. There's no doubt many of the failures of United's 2013/14 campaign must be placed at his feet, but when some journalist with a penchant for superlatives decides to label him the worst manager in United's history, perhaps spare a thought for how few people could have realistically been expected to do much better in his circumstances.