AFP/London
David Moyes declared yesterday that he was “proud” to have managed Manchester United, but said that he understood the “frustration” that had led to his dismissal.
Moyes, 50, was sacked by United on Tuesday after a dismal 10-month tenure in which the reigning champions slumped to seventh place in the Premier League, denying them a place in next season’s Champions League.
“During this period of transition, performances and results have not been what Manchester United and its fans are used to or expect, and I both understand and share their frustration,” Moyes said in a statement released by the League Managers’ Association (LMA).
“I have always believed that a manager never stops learning during his career, and I know I will take invaluable experience from my time as United’s manager.
“I remain proud to have led the team to the quarter-finals of this year’s Champions League and I remain grateful to Sir Alex Ferguson (his predecessor) for believing in my ability and giving me the chance to manage Manchester United.”
The LMA, the trade union for managers working professionally in England, criticised United for the “unprofessional manner” in which Moyes was dismissed. Chief executive Richard Bevan said the organisation was “very disappointed” that “extensive reports in the press” had announced Moyes’s sacking before he “had been spoken to officially by the club”.
Although reports about Moyes’s departure first emerged in the British media on Monday afternoon, he did not learn of his fate until early on Tuesday morning.
Responding to Bevan’s comments, United said that they had not acted irresponsibly.
“We do not accept that it was handled in an unprofessional manner,” said a spokesperson. “The decision was not taken until late Monday night and was communicated face-to-face first thing on Tuesday morning. When reports started emerging on internet news sites on Monday afternoon, no decision had been taken at that time.”
Moyes added: “Taking charge after such a long period of continuous stability and success at the club was inevitably going to be a significant challenge, but it was one which I relished and never had a second thought about taking on.
“The scale of the manager’s job at United is immense, but I have never stepped away from hard work and the same applies to my coaching staff. I thank them for their dedication and loyalty throughout the last season.”
Long-serving midfielder Ryan Giggs has been placed in interim charge of first-team affairs “until a permanent appointment can be made”, United said.
News of Moyes’s departure met with a favourable reaction on the New York Stock Exchange, where United’s shares rose six percent to their highest level since Ferguson’s retirement last May.
