This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/apr/10/david-moyes-manchester-united-champions-league-wilderness
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| David Moyes embarks on mission improbable as Manchester United plan for life outside the Euro zone | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| To tempt an elite player into joining next season's rebuilding at Manchester United, the prospect of the Europa League (or no European football at all) is not the greatest card David Moyes could hold. | To tempt an elite player into joining next season's rebuilding at Manchester United, the prospect of the Europa League (or no European football at all) is not the greatest card David Moyes could hold. |
| "We're looking to spend the right money on players who are available and it's not anything to do with the Champions League," he said after United's quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich. "Any players we've quietly discussed it with are more than happy to join Manchester United. They know it's not a long-term thing. My focus is on getting a side together to get back in the Champions League." | "We're looking to spend the right money on players who are available and it's not anything to do with the Champions League," he said after United's quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich. "Any players we've quietly discussed it with are more than happy to join Manchester United. They know it's not a long-term thing. My focus is on getting a side together to get back in the Champions League." |
| Moyes could hardly have said anything else. Part of his remit is public tub-thumping and putting on a brave face as he starts the greatest overhaul of a United squad since Sir Alex Ferguson broke up the drinking culture at the club in the late 1980s. | Moyes could hardly have said anything else. Part of his remit is public tub-thumping and putting on a brave face as he starts the greatest overhaul of a United squad since Sir Alex Ferguson broke up the drinking culture at the club in the late 1980s. |
| Moyes must replace Nemanja Vidic, who will leave in the close season, plus Rio Ferdinand (probably) and most likely Patrice Evra – a big void to fill. He has also to add at least one European-class, game-shaping midfielder. Bayern's Toni Kroos would be a good start but how to prise him from the runaway Bundesliga title-winners and a club that could become the first to retain the European Cup during the Champions League era? | |
| Oh, and Moyes has to decide who is worth keeping of Shinji Kagawa, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young, Javier Hernández, Darren Fletcher, Alexander Buttner, Nani, and Ryan Giggs. | Oh, and Moyes has to decide who is worth keeping of Shinji Kagawa, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young, Javier Hernández, Darren Fletcher, Alexander Buttner, Nani, and Ryan Giggs. |
| It would be a huge challenge for a man of Ferguson's experience. For Moyes, still a novice United manager, and the executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, still a novice transfer-market operator, the task appears Sisyphean. | It would be a huge challenge for a man of Ferguson's experience. For Moyes, still a novice United manager, and the executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, still a novice transfer-market operator, the task appears Sisyphean. |
| With no Champions League football and a side who have been in near free-fall, Moyes and Woodward are propagating a particular mantra. This states that it is United's rich history that players of the ilk of Kroos and Southampton's Luke Shaw will take into account and not the threadbare squad whose feeble championship defence has left them 17 points behind Liverpool, and seven from fourth place with five matches left. | With no Champions League football and a side who have been in near free-fall, Moyes and Woodward are propagating a particular mantra. This states that it is United's rich history that players of the ilk of Kroos and Southampton's Luke Shaw will take into account and not the threadbare squad whose feeble championship defence has left them 17 points behind Liverpool, and seven from fourth place with five matches left. |
| Any stellar footballer would need to be convinced that Moyes is the man to lead United back into another gilded age of Premier League and Champions League domination. At the moment, the club executive remains unyielding in its belief. As the summer draws nearer Moyes will be trusted with the best part of £150m. | Any stellar footballer would need to be convinced that Moyes is the man to lead United back into another gilded age of Premier League and Champions League domination. At the moment, the club executive remains unyielding in its belief. As the summer draws nearer Moyes will be trusted with the best part of £150m. |
| Barring a near-miracle, the earliest United will next take part in the Champions League is the 2015-16 campaign. Putting aside how a season can feel an age to a footballer whose sense of self is bolstered by performing against top continental sides, will Moyes really be able to attract what is needed? | Barring a near-miracle, the earliest United will next take part in the Champions League is the 2015-16 campaign. Putting aside how a season can feel an age to a footballer whose sense of self is bolstered by performing against top continental sides, will Moyes really be able to attract what is needed? |
| Moyes and Woodward have seen this coming from virtually the moment the 50-year-old took over from Ferguson. The manager's use of "hope" rather than "will" when talking of United's prospects has been a public hint of the prevailing view inside the club that the squad are not up to it. | Moyes and Woodward have seen this coming from virtually the moment the 50-year-old took over from Ferguson. The manager's use of "hope" rather than "will" when talking of United's prospects has been a public hint of the prevailing view inside the club that the squad are not up to it. |
| In part, this is what has bought Moyes time but after last summer's farrago in the transfer market he and Woodward have had a full season to ensure those mistakes are rectified. | In part, this is what has bought Moyes time but after last summer's farrago in the transfer market he and Woodward have had a full season to ensure those mistakes are rectified. |
| To do so, Moyes and Woodward are trying to adopt the European model of closing deals six months in advance. This is to avoid engaging in another summer of horse-trading like that which embarrassed the club last year when Cesc Fábregas, Leighton Baines, Fábio Coentraõ and Ander Herrera all failed to join for various reasons. | To do so, Moyes and Woodward are trying to adopt the European model of closing deals six months in advance. This is to avoid engaging in another summer of horse-trading like that which embarrassed the club last year when Cesc Fábregas, Leighton Baines, Fábio Coentraõ and Ander Herrera all failed to join for various reasons. |
| The word is that one or two deals are well on the way to completion. So for proof of the strategy's success expect new faces to be smiling for the cameras sooner rather than later. | The word is that one or two deals are well on the way to completion. So for proof of the strategy's success expect new faces to be smiling for the cameras sooner rather than later. |
| The big conundrum is what happens to the hope of regaining Champions League status at the first attempt if the new players are not of the requisite quality. | The big conundrum is what happens to the hope of regaining Champions League status at the first attempt if the new players are not of the requisite quality. |
| How will this affect the balance of power in English football? And how will this impact on the future of Moyes himself? | How will this affect the balance of power in English football? And how will this impact on the future of Moyes himself? |