Top 10 instances where David Moyes was disrespected by Manchester United players and staff

David Moyes: “It can’t be done!”

As if getting sacked by Manchester United wasn’t enough, more reports have come out in the press about the players’ total lack of respect for the manager and various acts of insubordination.

Here are a few nightmarish incidents that Moyes has endured during his dismal tenure as Manchester United manager.

1. Curfew? No such thing!

Manchester United had a training break in Dubai after they were knocked out of the FA Cup. It is learnt that Moyes had allowed the players to have a night out – an invitation that the players promptly pounced on and returned to the hotel only at 5 AM.

What’s more? They ended up waking the other guests staying at the hotel in the process!

2. Moyes’ self-help guide is a laughing stock on the plane

After losing 2-0 to Olympiakos in the Champions League, Moyes was reading a management self-help book called ‘Good to Great’ on the flight back to Manchester. It was a book that was meant to help Moyes become a better manager but ultimately became the butt of all jokes on the flight.

A source on the flight was quoted, “We are the Premier League champions. Why on earth did our manager need to read a book to learn how to manage us?”

3. Shinji Kagawa – From delaying passes to delaying flights

Shinji Kagawa hasn’t exactly had a good time under David Moyes. He has been frustrated many times after being played out of position.

Well, it was his turn to frustrate the manager and the club after he arrived very late for the team’s flight to Munich ahead of their Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich. Club officials did their best to ensure that he could board the flight quickly by fast-tracking him through departures.

What? No Fergie time for United flight departures?

All this while, Kagawa had a permanent smile etched on his face. Maybe Evil Kagawa is real?

4. “Send him off!”

During United’s disastrous Champions League game against Olympiakos in Athens, there was a moment where Moyes was angrily arguing with the fourth official.

One of the substitutes actually said, “Send him off,” and it wasn’t exactly met with agreement from the others on the bench. And it wasn’t the only time something like this was heard in the dugout.

5. Place your bets

When Moyes was clearly going to get the sack with results not going their way, there were three unused squad members who placed bets on when Moyes would get the sack.

Tactics wasn’t exactly the topic of discussion on the Manchester United bench

6. The walls have ears

Moyes always insisted that his relationship with Robin van Persie and Rio Ferdinand was A-OK and that various reports in the media about a fractured relationship were totally untrue.

But when you sit with another Premier League manager, the last thing you do is criticize the two senior players in such a manner, especially when one of them hears the conversation. Rio Ferdinand was the man who heard it all and ever since then he has lost respect for the Scot.

Psst, Rio! You need to play more like Phil Jagielka!

Other stories of how Ferdinand didn’t like being compared to Phil Jagielka also didn’t go down too well with Moyes.

7. Sticks and stones…

The Red Devils soon became disillusioned by Moyes’ training methods and even got bored with the sessions. One coach even got the nickname ‘F*** off’ as a reminder of what they thought every time he opened his mouth to say something.

8. Plugging the leak

When United team news was leaked to the national media, Moyes found the young player responsible and punished him severely. But the leaks continued and it set a bad example of the fact that Moyes couldn’t control the squad.

Sir Alex Ferguson would ban mobile phones if leaks were suspected but Moyes would not take any drastic measures, which gave the senior players the impression that his man management skills were nowhere near that of his predecessor.

9. Nobody at Old Trafford liked him – not even the ground staff

There were reports of discontent among the ground staff at Old Trafford. They just didn’t have the same respect for him like they did for Sir Alex.

10. This is Manchester United and they’re supposed to attack! Not defend!

There was a report of Ryan Giggs once storming off after David Moyes made the squad practise defensive routines at their Carrington training ground for over two hours. And when he was asked by Phil Neville as to why he hadn’t attended a coaches’ meeting, Giggs said it was “pointless” as Moyes never listened to anything he or the others had to say.

Ryan Giggs and David Moyes didn’t see eye to eye