adminLONDON. — Manchester United have fallen off their perch, they’re dropping like a stone towards mediocrity and David Moyes returned to England on Wednesday afternoon to the news that he is now the bookmakers’ favourite to be sacked.
The odds on the Scot being the next manager to be axed have tumbled in the wake of United’s Champions League defeat at Olympiacos.
Moyes is now favourite with almost every bookmaker as the next boss to be given the boot.
Generally quoted at odds on, a price of 6/4 is the best available with Coral.
Whether we are talking about the events of Wednesday night at Olympiacos or before the startled eyes of the faithful at Old Trafford, the evidence is there for all to see.
Out of the title race, out of the FA Cup, out of the League Cup, out of the top four and now in desperate need of an improbable recovery in the Champions League.
On what we have all seen so far this season, who would bet upon them turning the tables?
The Manchester United of seasons past, maybe. The Manchester United of Sir Alex Ferguson.
The snarling face of Roy Keane, the passion of Gary Neville, the understated brilliance of Paul Scholes, the delivery of David Beckham. And behind it all, the aggression and defiance of Peter Schmeichel.
Only those characters are no more. David Moyes is being haunted by those ghosts of the past.
There is no snarling, there is no brilliance, there is certainly no delivery. Win at all costs?
No, what passed before Moyes’s eyes in the Greek port city was his worst nightmare.
If we start with the manager, we have to ask: has he become utterly incapable overnight? Of course not.
Here was a man who overachieved at Everton, understanding what it took to keep the club fighting it out with the big boys in the top half.
But the one aspect of the managerial job that Moyes does not yet possess at Old Trafford is the fear factor.
How many times was Ferguson prepared to stand toe-to-toe in the dressing room and slug it out with his players?
That fear factor, the fear of losing your place, the fear of not playing for one of the world’s biggest clubs, the fear of being told you are not wanted . . . .
It looks like it doesn’t matter to half of them.
Do you know what? It doesn’t any more. Protected by grotesque contracts, the lack of desire was startling.
The only two who can escape criticism from Wednesday night’s display were Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney.
One has just signed a mammoth new pay deal. The other one is off at the end of the season. I thought Vidic was magnificent.
But the remainder of it is sub-standard. There is an ageing spine to the team.
Rio Ferdinand. Gone. Chris Smalling. Not good enough. Ditto the entire back four. And Tom Cleverley.
Not Manchester United standard. You can include Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia in that bracket, too.
While I can sit here and say that they aren’t good enough, that doesn’t excuse the lack of desire.
Where was it? Where was that team of winners?
Let’s face it, Moyes may have inherited a poor situation, not helped by the fact that David Gill, a steady hand on the tiller, departed at the same time as Ferguson.
But he could at least instil some pride in the shirt.
This is, though, a situation that has been coming. The writing has been on the wall for a while. Yes, people point to the title race last season. But let’s look at the state United’s rivals were in.
Chelsea suffered a hangover from the Champions League. Their own end of an era. Arsenal weren’t anywhere near as strong as they are this year. And they look like they will fall short — again.
And it appears there was a player backlash against Roberto Mancini that did for him at Manchester City.
What is most chilling is that this situation mirrors the one that Graeme Souness found himself in when he took over at Liverpool 23 years ago.
A golden generation had passed. The Scot had to rip it up and start again. And the fall-out was painful.
The rest of football now scents blood. — Mailonline.
Online Reporter
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