David Moyes has wanted to manage a top club for a long time. His dream has finally come true.
Moyes will replace Sir Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United on July 1. The current Everton manager signed a six-year contract with the Red Devils on Thursday, according to ESPN.
“It’s a great honor to be asked to be the next manager of Manchester United,” Moyes said. “I am delighted that Sir Alex [Ferguson] saw fit to recommend me for the job. I have great respect for everything he has done and for the football club.
“I know how hard it will be to follow the best manager ever, but the opportunity to manage Manchester United isn’t something that comes around very often and I’m really looking forward to taking up the post next season.”
The 50-year-old Scotsman built a reputation as one of Britain’s top young managers by working wonders at Everton with a limited budget. His departure ends an 11-year tenure at Goodison Park. His current contract expires in June, so United will not have pay Everton compensation to land its man.
“I have had a terrific job at Everton, with a tremendous chairman and board of directors and a great set of players,” Moyes added. “Between now and the end of the season, I will do everything in my power to make sure we finish as high as possible in the table.
“Everton’s fantastic fans have played a big part in making my years at Goodison so enjoyable and I thank them wholeheartedly for the support they have given me and the players. Everton will be close to me for the rest of my life.”
Ferguson was instrumental in the decision to pursue Moyes, believing that his successor has the ability to carry on the legacy he created over 26-plus years.
“When we discussed the candidates that we felt had the right attributes we unanimously agreed on David Moyes,” the outgoing United manager said. “David is a man of great integrity with a strong work ethic. I’ve admired his work for a long time and approached him as far back as 1998 to discuss the position of assistant manager here. He was a young man then at the start of his career and has since gone on to do a magnificent job at Everton. There is no question he has all the qualities we expect of a manager at this club.”
United director and icon Bobby Charlton says United will stay on course under the new manager. He thinks Moyes’ arrival represents the continuity and long-term thinking that were hallmarks of the Ferguson era.
“I have always said that we wanted the next manager to be a genuine Manchester United man,” Charlton said. “In David Moyes, we have someone who understands the things that make this such a special club. We have secured a man who is committed to the long-term and will build teams for the future as well as now. Stability breeds success.
“David has tremendous strength of character and recognizes the importance of bringing young players through and developing them alongside world-class talent. At United, I think David will be able to express himself. I’m delighted he has accepted and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
Moyes will inherit a Premier League title-winning squad which doesn’t much of a makeover. One of his first challenges will be to sort out Wayne Rooney‘s future (the star forward wants to leave the club this summer), but he’s already done that once before — in 2004 at Everton. Whatever else the future has in store for Moyes at United, he will have the backing of club heavyweights as he takes on the coming challenges.
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