Key Manchester United boardroom figures have now turned against David
Moyes, as the prospect of the manager getting sacked has been properly
raised for the first time.
The Glazer family owners are now more open to the idea of a change of
manager, although they presently remain behind Moyes, but the next week
could prove decisive, sources said. Over that time, United must overturn
a 2-0
deficit in the Champions League against Olympiakos, before facing an
awkward trip to West Ham United and then a potentially daunting second
derby of the season against Manchester City.
While
qualification for the quarter-finals of the Champions League would be
seen as a huge positive and possibly change the entire dynamic of his
job, an elimination followed by poor performances in the two games after
that could well bring the pressure to breaking point. The Glazers are
said to have become very "nervous" about the nature of recent
performances, let alone the results, with a nadir coming in the 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool. Some United officials now openly maintain that a managerial change is needed.
Old
Trafford sources also state it has been noted that Alex Ferguson is no
longer so vocally backing Moyes at boardroom level, although the former
manager is not said to have turned against his replacement. It is also
believed Moyes retains the backing of Bobby Charlton.
Doubt,
however, has increased at virtually every level of the club. Despite
the poverty of recent performances, sources state that one of the most
influential factors now has been financial concerns. A number of
recently signed-up sponsors and commercial partners have reportedly let
it be known to the club that they are less than enthused with now being
linked to failure, especially since they specifically came on board
because of the reputation for extreme success.
This
is said to have most unnerved the hierarchy, and long-term damage to
United as a "brand" could be the clinching point in any decision. While
the club have long planned for a season out of the Champions League -
and that was known to be one initial reason behind the previously
unwavering support for Moyes - any extra negative effect on commercial
revenue would be viewed with utmost seriousness.
Sources state Louis van Gaal would be interested in a potential summer
move to Old Trafford, and that the Dutch coach is a little less intent
on the Tottenham Hotspur job than he was a few weeks ago. Spurs had felt
that Van Gaal's appointment after the World Cup was virtually certain,
but it is now more open-ended.
0 Comment:
Post a Comment