The poisoned chalice that is the Manchester United job got another victim as Louis van Gaal was sacked one season before his contract ended with the Premier League club. The Dutch manager was brought in to replace David Moyes as the former Everton man had to follow the stellar job done by Sir Alex Ferguson.
It wasn’t a surprise to see Moyes getting the boot after just one season, though many critics have pointed out that the Scot should have been given more time at Manchester United. Moyes though didn’t stay unemployed for long and ended up signing for La Liga side Real Sociedad.
That journey didn’t last long either as within a year he was sacked by the Spanish side. Moyes has been without a club since November 2015 and after almost a year out from the management world, he could be in line for some of the vacancies that crop up in the world of football.
Sure he won’t be managing Real Madrid or Juventus any time soon but the Scot does have a reputation of guiding clubs and keeping them safe, even when the odds are against them. Moyes did an excellent job at Everton for a number of years and here are five clubs which could do with the services of the 53-year-old.
1) Reading
Many would remember Reading doing well in the Premier League under Steve Coppell but those glory days for the club have gone as they finished 17th in the Championship. Things just are not clicking for the former Premier League club and the side even saw their manager, Brain McDermott getting the sack just six months after taking over the club.
Reading are a club in disarray and need someone who can steady the ship while not causing too many ruffled feathers up in the boardroom. David Moyes would be an ideal candidate for the job but moving a step down from the top league in the country could be something that does not appeal to the former Everton manager.
Nevertheless, Reading do have a decent squad and are more than capable of making it to the playoffs next season, if they have a suitable manager. Moyes might have to worry about playing two games every week thanks to the gruelling schedule in England’s second division but the Scot could lead them to glory with a few additions to the squad.
2) Watford
It really was a weird decision to sack Quique Sanchez Flores from the job at Watford, despite keeping them in the Premier League and also taking them to a FA Cup semi-final this season. The Hornets played an incredible brand of football in the first half of the campaign but the performances ultimately tailed off and the side finished in 13th place.
Watford might not be the final destination for David Moyes as the club keep getting rid of managers after a short spell but if the Scot does a decent job, he could be on his way to bigger things as well. The former Manchester United manager did exceptionally well with players like Andy Johnson and Louis Saha at Everton and the likes of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo could help the Hornets finish in a top 10 place next season if Moyes is signed up for the job.
3) Hull City
One of the surprises of next season could come from Championship playoff winners Hull City. Steve Bruce’s side bounced back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and even though the 55-year-old has done a stellar job at the club, he appears unsure about his future.
Assem Allam, the club’s owner, seems set to sell the team to new owners and Bruce isn’t sure what the future holds for him next season. Whichever owner does come to take over the side, they would want a surety that they have Premier League football the season after next and David Moyes could well be the man who provides them just that.
As stated earlier, he knows how to work with a crop of players and often gets the results that are needed. Money to spend, new owners and a requirement to stay in the league? This would be the perfect challenge for Moyes to regain some of his lost credibility.
4) Rangers
Challenging for the Scottish Premiership title cost Rangers a lot as the side were relegated to the lowest division in Scotland. The club worked extremely hard and are now set to resume their battle for the Premiership title under bitter rivals Celtic.
Defeating the champions of Scotland would not be easy as Rangers do not have the financial muscle they once had. The Gers currently have Mark Warburton as their manager but the Ibrox club would want someone who can build something for the future while not overstretching the budget of the financially stricken side.
David Moyes is known for providing incredible results on a shoe-string budget, something he did brilliantly for Everton over the years. Scotland would also mean a return to his native country and would also give him a real test as he looks to take on the might of Celtic.
There could be just one major hitch in the plan to hire Moyes, the Scot played for Celtic during his initial years as a footballer and that may not go down well with the Ibrox faithful. The former Manchester United manager though would be a great option for the Gers as they look to reclaim the title they last won in 2010-11.
5) Everton
The club where David made a name for himself, Everton have hit the highs under Roberto Martinez as they finished fifth in his first season and then hit the lows as they ended up 11th and 12th in the following years.
The lack of any progress after a great first season under the Spanish manager was seen as just one reason why he was sacked by the club, despite reaching the FA Cup final. The new owner Farhad Moshiri has stated that he will give them everything he has to make them competitive and that could mean a lot of spending taking place in the summer this season.
Moyes was Everton’s best manager for years, successfully avoiding the drop while also helping them climb up the table into a top 10 side. The Scot also made the Toffees tough to beat and were regularly punching above their weight as they tried to outdo their neighbours Liverpool.
The Scot backed by the financial power of Moshiri would be an ideal pairing, the perfect deal for most Everton fans who just want to see the club do well. Moyes would not have a lot of pressure on him if he did sign for Everton and rumours are a plenty that a deal might be on the cards pretty soon for the Scotsman.
