Despite public statements to the contrary, reports suggest that the Manchester United hierarchy are actively considering replacements for beleaguered manager David Moyes.
The former Everton boss has come under increased pressure in recent weeks following a string of humiliating results, including 3-0 home defeats to bitter rivals Liverpool and Manchester City and a 2-0 reverse away to Olympiacos in the Champions League, which the Red Devils managed to atone for with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford that secured their passage to the quarter-finals.
Despite growing disillusionment amongst the club’s fan base, reports to date have suggested that key members on the board at Old Trafford were prepared to support Moyes and give him time to make an impact and also provide him with funds to overhaul the squad in the summer.
A report by Duncan Castles – a journalist whose work is frequently published in The Sunday Times – on Goal.com suggests, however, that the senior hierarchy at Manchester United are “evaluating all possibilities” including replacing Moyes as manager, with the Glazers thought to be concerned about continuing damage to United’s value as a brand if their on-field woes continue.
Another report in The Daily Telegraph suggests that a number of players currently at the club are wavering in their support for the manager and are unhappy with the tactics employed on the pitch and the lack of consistency in team selection, something highlighted by the fact that Ryan Giggs, for example, was very influential against Olympiacos but did not feature at all in the following two games.
It will be interesting to see how the club and Moyes respond to the most recent speculation surrounding his future, but it’s rare that there is smoke without fire and it would be hard not to be believe that concerns about the manager are increasing after what has been something of an annus horribilis to date.
