Manchester United

[Fosterbloke]

[Fosterbloke]

[Fosterbloke]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/david-moyes-jokes-twitter-pokes-3184388

[Chazza]

The Glazers have backed David Moyes to rebuild ageing United

The manager's high-tech scouting set-up with its extensive list of possible transfer targets has impressed the owners

David Moyes continues to have the firm backing of the Glazer family despite his dismal inaugural campaign as the Manchester United manager. The American owners are disappointed yet remain calm about Moyes' performance since replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at the start of the season. Even after the dire 2-0 defeat by Olympiakos in the Champions League and a title defence that has United 11 points from qualifying for next season's competition, the view is that this is a "once in a lifetime" happening.

Such is the faith in Moyes that the ambition for 2014-15 is not to finish in a Champions League position but to win a 21st domestic title.

The support Moyes enjoys from the Glazers is based on the depth and detail with which he has restructured the club. Moyes has reconfigured United's scouting system, with the 50-year-old creating a dedicated nerve-centre at Carrington that resembles the "bunker" from which he plotted player acquisition at Everton when manager.

Ferguson's was a more intuitive approach that centred on tapping into the knowledge of his chief scout, Jim Lawlor, rather than having detailed files drawn up on players.

Moyes has installed a bespoke facility that houses whiteboards, computers, high-definition screens, iPads and other state-of-the-art digital technology at United's training ground. This allows the manager easy access to data on players of all positions, ages and career trajectory from around the world, while also maintaining immediate contact with a global network of scouts.

An illustration of how the system works can been seen in Moyes' need to strengthen at centre-back, with Nemanja Vidic leaving and Rio Ferdinand's future in the balance. Scouts provide differing targets who are established players at tier-one and tier-two clubs or less heralded options of potential only.

The most important recruit to the set-up is Robbie Cooke, Moyes's chief scout at Everton, who joined last summer and reports to Lawlor. Yet as in other areas, the manager is particularly hands-on, executing duties Ferguson rowed back on during his 26-year tenure.

The Glazers have been disappointed at how Moyes's first season in charge has unfolded. The sentiment is shared by Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, who had not envisaged quite how poorly United would fare. There is, though, an acceptance that a kind of perfect storm of factors have contributed to United's predicament. These include an ageing squad, deficits in central midfield and in the wide positions, plus the inevitable transition after the departure of English football's greatest manager.

Lessons have been learned from last summer and a disastrous transfer strategy. There will be greater clarity and swifter action in the market. There is a confidence that no repeat will occur of the botched attempts to sign Everton's Leighton Baines and Athletic Bilbao's Ander Herrera, or the scenario that had United scrambling to sign Marouane Fellaini on deadline day for £4m more than his £23.5m release clause.

The lists of four players, in descending order of preference, in each required position have already been drawn up. United are focused on left-back, centre-back, central midfield and in the forward department owing to doubts over the futures of Robin van Persie and Javier Hernández.

The coup of prising Juan Mata from Chelsea, a direct rival, in January was indicative of the progress Moyes – and Woodward – have made and, with the size of the transfer fund available to the manager, there is an optimism the summer will yield the big signings required.

There is also an awareness that United's profile means the club can be used as leverage by players hoping to secure better terms. Toni Kroos, the midfielder Moyes retains an interest in, is one believed to be doing so during his contract negotiations with Bayern Munich.

Beyond Vidic and Ferdinand, Patrice Evra could also depart, though both the left-back and club have an option for him to sign for another year. United also hold an option on Ferdinand, which expires in mid-May, though the Frenchman is currently more likely than the centre-back to remain.

Even if Evra does stay, Moyes will still pursue a left-back, with Southampton's Luke Shaw the No1 choice, though there is competition from Manchester City and Chelsea, who are in pole position to land him. Shaw is a Chelsea fan, with his parents living close to the club's Cobham base.

There has been no offer yet of a new deal for Ryan Giggs and there is a break clause in the five-year contract Nani signed last September.

Moyes believes Wilfried Zaha has a chance to be a long-term United player despite his occasional tardy time-keeping and his loan to Cardiff City.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/feb/26/david-moyes-glazer-rebuild-manchester-united?CMP=twt_gu

[Leyton388]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ted?CMP=twt_gu

Moyes has installed a bespoke facility that houses whiteboards, computers, high-definition screens, iPads and other state-of-the-art digital technology at United's training ground. This allows the manager easy access to data on players of all positions, ages and career trajectory from around the world, while also maintaining immediate contact with a global network of scouts.

Davy doing overtime on youtube player video's.

[rudedog]

That bunker could prove a shrewd piece of business if their results keep going the same way

[Leyton388]

That bunker could prove a shrewd piece of business if their results keep going the same way

Worked out well for Hitler.

[Resu]

Is it?

Think what Bodgson did with us was on a par if not worse.

The ship was allready leaking when the Bodge came in, he just widenend the cracks. Moyes took over a cruiseliner and is turning it into Costa Concordia (hopefully)

[dom9]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ted?CMP=twt_gu

Haha. Whiteboards, computers, ipads and other modern technology.

So basically, an office.

I wonder if he's done away with the fax machine?

[baitman]

must be fake, shirley...

http://metro.co.uk/2014/02/26/manchester-united-fan-demands-david-moyes-sacking-by-getting-moyes-out-tattoo-4323851/

[peekay]

Davy doing overtime on youtube player video's.

If Mostar checks the IP address of his subscribers he might find one from the Manc training ground

[RichC]

hoofball is alive and well

In the wake of their Champions League defeat at Olympiakos, Van Persie, 30, has criticised his Manchester United team-mates for a lack of service as it is revealed goalkeeper David De Gea played the most passes to the Dutchman.

[Bender]

Manchester United players are 'bemused' by manager David Moyes' tactics, especially his insistence that the central midfielders stay behind the ball.
Full story: the Times (subscription only)

Former Wales assistant coach Raymond Verheijen has criticised a "desperate" Manchester United for handing Wayne Rooney a new contract and believes Dutch striker Robin van Persie should leave Old Trafford if he wants to win trophies.
Full story: Evening Standard

The Red Devils will block any attempts by Van Persie to leave Old Trafford in the summer.
Full story: Daily Telegraph

[danperkins]

[Shaggy]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/david-moyes-handed-12-games-to-convince-manchester-united-he-is-still-the-right-man-for-the-job-9155916.html

David Moyes handed 12 games to convince Manchester United he is still the right man for the job

David Moyes, the Manchester United manager, has as few as 12 games to demonstrate to the Glazer family that he is the man they should trust with a £200m summer transfer kitty, to fulfil their aim of winning the Premier League next season.

Though the club's owners retain full confidence in Moyes, the defeat at Olympiakos in the worst performance of his seven months at the helm appears to have changed the mood about the manager's capacity to turn around the situation at Old Trafford. United have not contemplated changing manager this summer, with the expectation being that Moyes will have set United on course by the next campaign. But he is not immune to dismissal if there is a downward momentum between now and May. The fall-off in performances – United have taken 45 points from 27 Premier League games this season compared with 68 from 27 last season – is on a scale the club had simply not anticipated.

Tuesday's defeat in Athens prompted a rush of rumours of Moyes' departure to spread across social media. They were false, though several more bad results could leave Moyes in a very vulnerable position, with United facing Liverpool and Manchester City at home in a nine-day spell next month. Those games fall either side of the Champions League last-16 home leg against Olympiakos in which United must repair a 2-0 deficit after this week's dismal away-leg display. Moyes has 10 weeks to satisfy the Americans that he is the man to rebuild United into a side who can challenge for the title next season.

The club, who are privately resigning themselves to a season out of the elite European competition, will launch into the transfer market this summer with a pitch to prospective new players that winning the Premier League – rather than merely regaining a top-four place – is their ambition for 2014-15. Potentially there could be six new recruits in a pivotal four months of business. The situation is complicated by the World Cup but the club hope that business for German or Spanish players could be completed before that tournament.

United harbour some hope that Patrice Evra's obvious affection for the club – manifest in him being one of the best performers this season – may persuade him to stay and share responsibilities with a new, younger left-back. The club anticipate competition from Chelsea and Manchester City for Southampton's Luke Shaw. Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos has been a target but United will not allow themselves to be used as a bargaining tool to engineer better contracts for other clubs' players.

Moyes will also be asked to develop the players he already has, as United's board feel that the "churn" of seven players coming in and going out has the potential to alter the dressing-room dynamics, leaving the manager with too much integration to contend with early in the season.

Wilfried Zaha may return to United from his loan spell at Cardiff City, despite his limited chances so far. The problem this season has been the lack of games which he could be thrown into from the bench. Too much has been riding on too many games.

Moyes will only stay if the club's owners believe he has the capability to turn a £200m investment in players into success on the pitch. One of the most disquieting aspects of the last month is that United do not seem to be improving despite the return of the Robin van Persie/Wayne Rooney partnership after injuries and the addition of Juan Mata to the ranks. Many of the players in Moyes' squad – including Tom Cleverley, Shinji Kagawa and Danny Welbeck – appear desperately short on confidence.

United came under fire over emails warning season-ticket holders who had not met their obligatory payment for the Olympiakos home match in three weeks that they would be refused their season-ticket entrance for the Manchester City home game if they didn't pay up.

The timing, 24 hours after the defeat in Athens, was unfortunate though those fans do owe the club for the Champions League tie and the course of action taken to secure payment was standard.