Everyone knew when Manchester United’s long-time manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 that things would never be the same.
However, no one saw the club failing as much as it did in the past season. Not only did MUFC fail to defend their Premier League title, they did not even succeed in qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. This is the first time since 1995–96 that the club has not qualified for the UEFA Champions League. Due to the unprecedented failure of the popular club, the management sacked David Moyes on April 22.
Many people realized the Moyes was not the right man for the post from the beginning, but the MUFC admin did not dare go against Ferguson, who hand-picked Moyes to be his successor. However, watching the novice manager bend underneath the weight of the huge Manchester Utd team was like watching a train wreck. Everyone knew the firing was coming, and all they could do is sit back and watch.
Is Manchester getting sack-happy like Chelsea?
Manchester Utd has long been proud of their tradition of building long-term relationships with the managers. Over their 136 year history, the club has only had 21 managers. This is certainly against the grain of other clubs who hire and fire managers as they please. Chelsea FC has had 10 managers in the past 10 years, and many Manchester Utd fans are growing worried that their team is heading in that direction.
The truth is that MUFC had to make this decision. This year was such a slump for the team that there was no way the manager was coming out standing. Their defeat on Sunday at the hands of Everton granted Manchester Utd its first ever defeat to both of the Merseyside clubs. Swansea beat them at Old Trafford for the first time in history. Stoke had not beaten United since 1984 until this season and West Bromwich and Newcastle had not won at Old Trafford since 1978 and 1972, respectively. With a record such as this, it is no wonder Moyes was let go.
Who will manage United now?
Dozens of names have been thrown around as potential replacement for Moyes. More than likely, the naming of the newest Manchester Utd manager will lead to the shuffling of cards at many teams. José Mourinho was on the short list of candidates when Moyes was chosen, and there is a significant chance he will be given the position this time around. Jürgen Klopp has been mentioned, but he has issued a statement denying any consideration of leaving Westfalenstadion. Juventus manager Antonio Conte seems an obvious choice considering his record and age, but with a successful team at his back, he may not be easily swayed. A few other names are floating about: Louis van Gaal, Carlo Ancelotti, Diego Simeone. But no one person has been selected, nor has the list been culled to a few top contenders. It appears that the team will have to be happy with interim manager Ryan Giggs until a decision is made.
Previous Manchester United Managers
Below is a listing of the previous managers for Manchester United and their length of reign. You can see from the list that the club has an affinity for sticking by their managers.
- 1892–1900 A. H. Albut
- 1900-1903 James West
- 1903-1912 Ernest Mangnall
- 1912-1914 John Bentley
- 1914-1922 Jack Robson
- 1922-1926 John Chapman
- 1926-1927 Lal Hilditch
- 1927-1931 Herbert Bamlett
- 1931-1932 Walter Crickmer
- 1932-1937 Scott Duncan
- 1937-1945 Walter Crickmer
- 1945-1969 Matt Busby
- 1969-1970 Wilf McGuinness
- 1970-1971 Matt Busby
- 1971-1972 Frank O’Farrell
- 1972-1977 Tommy Docherty
- 1977-1981 Dave Sexton
- 1981-1986 Ron Atkinson
- 1986-2013 Alex Ferguson
- 2013-2014 David Moyes
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