Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has publicly criticised the club's decision to sack David Moyes nearly twelve years ago, claiming it was a pivotal mistake that initiated a damaging cycle of managerial instability at Old Trafford.
Butt's Perspective on United's Managerial Turmoil
Speaking on the podcast The Good, The Bad and The Football, Butt expressed his firm belief that Moyes deserved more time to establish himself after taking over from the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. 'I don't think he should have got sacked at United,' Butt stated emphatically. 'He didn't get enough time. He should have got more time.'
The former England international, who made 39 appearances for his country, highlighted what he perceives as Moyes' crucial error. 'The only mistake I think he made was he didn't have anyone,' Butt explained. 'Someone should have been there for him, someone like Mike Phelan or someone.'
Moyes' Brief Tenure at Old Trafford
David Moyes' appointment as Ferguson's successor was initially met with optimism, beginning his tenure with a Community Shield victory and a win in his opening Premier League match. However, his reign unravelled rapidly, culminating in dismissal before the season's conclusion after a defeat to his former club Everton.
Manchester United finished that campaign in seventh position, suffering twelve league defeats and surrendering their title defence in disappointing fashion. Moyes' overall record stands at:
- Matches: 51
- Wins: 27
- Draws: 9
- Losses: 15
The Legacy of Ferguson's Departure
Butt's connection to this period is particularly poignant. The Mancunian midfielder spent his entire Manchester United playing career under Ferguson's management from 1992 to 2004, winning six Premier League titles, the Champions League, and three FA Cups before departing for Newcastle United.
He had returned to the club in a coaching capacity by the time Ferguson retired in 2013, which remains the last occasion Manchester United secured the Premier League championship. Moyes became the first in what would become a succession of managers dismissed from the permanent position, followed by Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag, and Ruben Amorim.
Moyes' Reflections on His Dismissal
Speaking about his Old Trafford departure last year, Moyes adopted a philosophical perspective. 'It's part of the life of a football manager,' he remarked. 'There's very few managers who have things always go in one direction. You have lots of ups and downs. Even the best managers have times when it's not so good.'
In 2019, Moyes suggested to talkSPORT that his dismissal had achieved little in terms of progressing the club. 'I feel that since I took over to where they are just now, I don't think there's an awful lot of difference,' he observed. 'When I took over it was needing a change and needing a turnaround of players, and that was all going to take time.'
He continued: 'I feel like in the four years or so since I was managing there, it's probably not moved on much more. It's quite similar, they're still saying there needs to be changes and has to be things done. That time since I felt hasn't been used awfully well.'
Butt's comments highlight ongoing debates about managerial stability in modern football, particularly at elite clubs where immediate success is demanded. His perspective suggests that allowing Moyes more time might have prevented the recurring pattern of managerial changes that has characterised Manchester United's post-Ferguson era.
