Manchester United’s Scottish manager David Moyes holds up a club shirt as he poses for photographers at Old Trafford in Manchester, yesterday. (AFP)
AFP/London
David Moyes plans to put his own “stamp” on Manchester United but vowed to continue the attacking traditions of the reigning English Premier League (EPL) champions.
The former Everton boss has replaced the retired Alex Ferguson and has been charged with continuing on the success of the club that has won 20 English league titles, three European Cups, 11 FA Cups, four League Cups and a European Cup Winners’ Cup in a success-laden history.
“Whoever was going to take over this job knows what the manager did before,” Moyes, who has never won a major trophy, said. “The manager before was incredible. His achievements, there are no better.
“All I can do is what David Moyes has done before. I will definitely continue the traditions of Manchester United, but I have to put my own stamp on the club.
“I’m very fortunate I’m taking over the champions of England, so that gives me a great start, better than most would get.
“I’ve come to a club where success is tattooed across the badge. This club is about winning trophies and I’ve come to continue that. It’s something I’m looking forward to doing. It will not change me, I’m determined to try to get the first one on the board.
“I am inexperienced in a lot of those things. Some brilliant managers could have taken this role but the bigger confidence I can take is Ferguson telling me he wanted me to be the next Manchester United manager.”
Moyes revealed that he has asked Paul Scholes to come on to the coaching staff at the club following the appointments of Ryan Giggs as player/coach and former United defender Phil Neville, who played under him at Everton, as first-team coach.
However, Scholes has turned down the opportunity for now as he looks to spend some time with his family before deciding what the future holds after he retired for a second time at the end of the season.
“He has been fantastic, he wanted to give me as much help and direction on things and we spent over an hour on the phone, but he wants to give his family some time,” said Moyes.
“But there will be a place for him - we will look to bring him back in when he is ready.”
Moyes refused to confirm that he would have any new players in place before United jet off for their pre-season tour next week. “I will try, but I couldn’t turn round and say yes to that, but I will try if possible,” he said. “The time is closing in a little bit just now.
“I think things might be done a little bit later this year, partly because there are quite a few new managers in so not everything will be done right away, but if you had the ideal position you would try to get the players in as soon as you could.”
Moyes has already had a bid rejected for former player Leighton Baines but insists that Bill Kenwright, the Everton owner, has not stipulated that he cannot return to Goodison Park for players.
“I don’t think that is the case,” he said. “I’ve brought some of my staff with me as well, all I could ever say is thanks for what Everton did for me.”
Another reported target for United is former player and current Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo but Moyes refused to speak about members of other teams.
“I would never speak about players at other football clubs because I think it’s wrong and not my style,” he added. “When people are under contract at other clubs I think it’s wrong to talk about them (but) this club is always interested in the best players.”
Gascoigne arrested after drunken assault
Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne has been arrested following an alleged drunken assault at a train station, British media reported yesterday. The 46-year-old, who in March returned to Britain from the United States where he was being treated for alcoholism, was held at a police station in Hertfordshire, north of London, after the incident.
“Police were called to Stevenage rail station around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, following a report of a man being drunk and disorderly,” a spokesman for the British Transport Police said.
“A 46-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of common assault and being drunk and disorderly by Hertfordshire Constabulary officers,” he said. The man was later taken into police custody and bailed to return pending police inquiries, the spokesman said.
Britain’s Daily Mirror tabloid said Gascoigne was held overnight in a cell for 12 hours and bailed on Friday following the alleged assault which involved his ex-wife and a security guard at the train station.
A spokesman from Gascoigne’s management company Game Plan Solutions declined to comment, but did not deny that the former midfielder had been arrested.
Gascoigne, for many the most naturally gifted footballer of his generation, told Britain’s The Sun newspaper in March that he was inspired to stay off alcohol after coming close to death while receiving treatment in the United States.