April 22, 2014

Manchester United Fires David Moyes: Manchester United manager David Moyes has been sacked only 10 months after being the hand-picked successor to Sir Alex Ferguson. Moyes, who left Everton after 11 seasons to take the job, had the team in seventh place with four games remaining, out of the Champions League and in danger of missing the Europa League as well. Man U hasn't missed all European competition in 24 years.

posted by rcade to soccer at 09:27 AM - 12 comments

Is there a quicker hook in sports than being manager of a top Premiership side? I figured until recent days that Moyes would get a second season.

posted by rcade at 09:37 AM on April 22, 2014

Not since Steinbrenner eventually calmed down. Well, there are Mike Brown and Melrose...

posted by beaverboard at 10:21 AM on April 22, 2014

@rcade: Have you looked at the managerial changes in Argentina, Brazil and Italy? How can you even ask that?!?!

posted by billsaysthis at 10:38 AM on April 22, 2014

Still, very sad for fans of every other team that The Chosen One wasn't given another full season in charge.

One holds out hope, though, that the clamor to make Giggs' appointment permanent is loud enough to make that happen. Hilarity will ensue.

posted by billsaysthis at 10:46 AM on April 22, 2014

Have you looked at the managerial changes in Argentina, Brazil and Italy?

According to yesterday's Football Weekly, all 3 sides facing relegation in Italy have sacked their manager and then brought him back after sacking the successor.

posted by yerfatma at 11:10 AM on April 22, 2014

Certain skills don't scale. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. A decent man, a good football manager, an honest broker - in other words, completely the wrong choice to manage one of the world's uber clubs. I'm sure he's gutted and not a little embarrassed, but in time he'll probably realise he's also a little relieved.

posted by JJ at 11:14 AM on April 22, 2014

Have you looked at the managerial changes in Argentina, Brazil and Italy?

I don't know much about South American club soccer. I know the Italian, Spanish and French top sides have a quick hook too, but it seems like the Premiership has them beat.

posted by rcade at 12:18 PM on April 22, 2014

posted by yerfatma at 12:18 PM on April 22, 2014

According to the League Managers Association, the average tenure of current Premier League managers is 1.88 years. The crazy thing is that, assuming this is just a mean average, this drops nearly a full year if Wenger (currently at 18 years in the job) steps down or is let go. The lower tiers of League Football are not much better (and League One is actually worse, at 1.76 years).

posted by holden at 01:50 PM on April 22, 2014

It'd also be interesting to see an average by club/Chairman, as well as league.

The new owner of the Championship's Leeds United, Massimo Cellino, also owns Serie A club Cagliari, where he has sacked 36 managers in just 22 years.

Though to be fair, a couple of them are the same person, fired, brought back and then fired again.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 02:34 PM on April 22, 2014

Is there a quicker hook in sports than being manager of a top Premiership side?

It's not a safe job anywhere, but especially not when you have to deal with shareholders and/or micromanaging plutocrats in charge. (The rumours seemed designed to help out people trading on the US stock market while the UK was on a bank holiday.)

Fergie's first season was a lot worse, but that was another era.

At both Preston and Everton, Moyes was dealing with old-school owners with a decent amount of patience and more modest expectations that he greatly exceeded. There aren't many of them around these days, though I'm sure he'll find a place at a club sooner than later, and there's always the pundit's desk between times.

posted by etagloh at 03:52 PM on April 22, 2014

Giggs Out.

*First!*

posted by owlhouse at 09:48 PM on April 22, 2014

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