9th May, 2013
Everton manager David Moyes is expected to be named as Alex Ferguson’s successor at Manchester United today, as the widely-respected Scot moves into English football’s most demanding and historic job.
The 50-year-old Moyes, who has spent 11 years at Goodison Park building solid squads on the slimmest of resources, is out of contract with the Merseysiders on June 30.
With only two games left to play this season, and with Everton heading for a commendable top-six finish, Moyes was holding talks with club chairman Bill Kenwright in London late Wednesday.
“He’s a winner and has a work ethic similar to Sir Alex,” ex-England manager Steve McClaren, and a former assistant to Ferguson at Old Tafford, told the BBC.
“He’s also built a dynasty and legacy at Everton. He’s waited many years for this opportunity and I hope he gets it.”
Moyes and Ferguson have had a close relationship and the Everton manager has long been considered as his fellow Scot’s most likely successor.
He was even considered as a possible right-hand man to Ferguson as far back as 2000, when he was in charge at Preston, two years before he took the Everton job.
Existing on a comparatively meagre budget at Goodison Park, Moyes’s Everton have not finished outside the top eight since 2006.
He has also been instrumental in nurturing young talent at the club.
Wayne Rooney was handed a league debut by Moyes in 2002 when the striker was just 16.
Two years later, Moyes sold Rooney to Ferguson for £27 million, making him the world’s most expensive teenager.
But Everton’s lack of financial muscle always proved a stumbling block and the ambitious Moyes will leave Goodison without a trophy to his name.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, who established a friendly rivalry with Ferguson while in charge of United’s rivals Chelsea, had also been touted for the Old Trafford job.
But Moyes was always the odds-on favourite with all the leading British bookmakers.