When arguably the most successful manager in the history of team
sports makes a decision to step down after managing your team for over a
generation, you expect to make a few compromises as his replacement adjusts to
fit the enormous boots.
As Mr. Moyes stumbled through the first couple of months at
Old Trafford, I had been conditioned to trust the old master’s judgment. After
all, critics had questioned Sir Alex Ferguson’s judgment with Ronaldo when he
seemed to be a one trick pony and De Gea when he seemed to consistently flap at
crosses into the box, but both have since risen to modestly speaking, “world
class status”.
I was unflustered by the relentless negative headlines about
the crumbling records at Old Trafford because I trusted that a meticulous Mr.
Moyes would continue to learn from the flaws of the first period of the season
to deliver a sudden charge into the top 4. I was confident that he would then
build on this for a sustained challenge next season with may be a cup win and
then finally deliver the title in the season that would follow.
While many chose to focus on the demise of what was a team
sports brand benchmark, I celebrated the little progress we seemed to be
making. The best away record in the league, clean sheets, more coordinated
attacking play and a disciplined performance against the European champions. I
celebrated the class displayed by United fans sticking with their team when all
other fans would have been baying for the manager’s head.
As the season draws to a close, it is unfortunate that someone
leaked to the press about Mr. Moyes’ impending sack before he was officially
notified, diminishing the class that has made this great club the bench mark of
team sports brands. With the possibility of a 4th place finish all
but extinguished by the time of his sacking, I was caught at a cross roads
about how Europa league football would potentially impact our rebuilding next
season. While a part of me had been reduced to cheering for Europa
qualification, I am not mourning our shortfall because I see the positive of
avoiding the stress it traditionally brings on league form.
Embarrassing as it is, this season has reduced me to
cheering the shortfalls of some of our major rivals. For all the disdain I have
about Mourinho’s style, I continue to hold hope that he will win the title
against the odds, because I consider Chelsea the lesser evil of the three title
challengers. More realistically though, as I have come to accept that the title
will be won by one of the two teams I would most hate to succeed, I have
painfully found myself cheering for our noisy neighbors.
While the press and Liverpool try to convince themselves that
they are the neutrals’ pick for the title, I have come to hideously accept that
I am not one of the neutrals. As some consolation to me, I have learned that fans
of many other teams are quietly hoping that Liverpool fall short for different
reasons.
Of course there is Everton because of their Mersey side
rivalry; Chelsea and Arsenal would be better placed to explain their shortfalls
by Man City’s unfair financial outlay on player purchases; and Tottenham’s own
lack of progress on the pitch will be less exposed if Liverpool, a recent traditional
Europa league qualifying peer did not suddenly surge to the title. In my case,
it is probably a matter of pride and bragging rights that I would like to
celebrate superior league success history with 20 titles versus 18 titles for
Liverpool.
The compromise I have learned to make this season has
fortunately given me a few of my own team’s positives to celebrate as the season
draws to an end. Stacked in tradition, not only do we have several legends
serving as club ambassadors, it gives me so much pride to see the famed “Class
of 92” on the bench helping groom the next generation of super stars. Despite
some of our more promising emerging stars playing out on loan, it is also very
pleasing to see our U-21 team make it to the finals with a real possibility of
bringing in some silver ware. Yes, such is the level of my compromise that for
the first time ever, I would enthusiastically celebrate winning the U-21 trophy!
