This is why we should never have had Mourinho as our manager, and a big reason why Sir Bobby didn't like him (aside from him being a cnut)Because Fergie knew what many of us said all along, that Mourinho is a grade a Cnut who wasn’t fit to manage manager Utd. He didn’t believe in our history, or philosophy and success is still secondary to those things. At Utd it’s not enough to win, you should win playing the right way and acting the right way. Mourinho (and his **** of fans) never understood that. If the choice was presented to me again I’d still pick Moyes 10/10.
Ancelotti definitely wasn't available, but personally I find it hard to believe that Mourinho chose somewhere else ahead of us (even Chelsea). He'd spent years sucking up to Fergie and Utd, and it was always quite obvious IMO that he desperately wanted to be Fergie's successor. There were reports that he was pretty much in tears when we chose Moyes ahead of him. I suspect the reports of him choosing Chelsea ahead of us is damage-control by both parties (Mourinho for the damaged ego of not being first choice, and Fergie for choosing Moyes ahead of him).I think it's very likely Mourinho and Ancelotti turned us down in favour of joining Chelsea/Madrid respectively (and Pep had already joined Bayern), and so we ended up taking a chance on Moyes despite him being a different profile.
I made a thread about it back in 2015 - https://www.redcafe.net/threads/was-moyes-really-our-first-choice-to-replace-ferguson.404963/
There were reports in Portugal that Mourinho chose a Chelsea return and Duncan Castles who is well connected to Mourinho and Mendes clients went into great detail about how Mourinho discussed the job with United for a while before opting for Chelsea - https://bleacherreport.com/articles...wn-manchester-united-job-to-return-to-chelsea
Neither do the board.Remember how when Mourinho was at Utd, Redcafe went all in pro-Pogba? And how that player power was just a fact that Mourinho was going to have to get used to?
Honestly, after ETH, I think Redcafe should get out of manager selections. We don't have a clue.
If my memory serves me right they had a dinner where SAF asked him to. Pep said he didn't understand what SAF said. Probably because of the accent or he simply didn't want it so played dumb. Both Pep and Klopp were very wise to refuse us imo.The questions should be why he didn't pick Pep.
That sounds a little absurd. What did Fergie do, leave him a voice message: Hi Pep, I'm retiring, if you're interested in my role, give me a call?For those thinking that Pep was an option - pretty sure he was never interested. Sir Alex has mentioned in multiple interviews that he wanted to speak to Pep about the role but he never returned his calls.
I think you’re correct on all except for possibly Mourinho, the story is that there was always reservations about him in the boardroom.Bollocks. Moyes was 5th choice. IIRC the club/Fergie spoke to Ancelotti, Pep, Mou. They all had agreed to move to other club.
Apparently they had a dinner.. SAF insinuated and Pep implied he was already going elsewhereFor those thinking that Pep was an option - pretty sure he was never interested. Sir Alex has mentioned in multiple interviews that he wanted to speak to Pep about the role but he never returned his calls.
Nah, the club let Sir Alex decide himself who to replace him as manager and with that, it was always going to be Moyes as Sir Alex was a massive admirer of the work he had done at Everton on a shoe string budget compared to the clubs around them.Punching well above their weight. Sir Alex mentioned it in his autobiography that Moyes was his undisputed best choice. Also with Moyes’ contract at Everton up that summer, it was never going to be something that dragged as if he had still been contracted to Everton who would have wanted a significant compensation package to part ways.I thought Klopp was the one Fergie and the club had in mind but he wasn't available so Moyes was second choice?
I dunno, not sure how the process would have worked but in Leading Sir Alex says something along the lines of “I asked Pep to phone me before he accepted an offer from another club but he didn't and wound up joining Bayern Munich in July 2013”.That sounds a little absurd. What did Fergie do, leave him a voice message: Hi Pep, I'm retiring, if you're interested in my role, give me a call?
Pep's Bayern deal was announced in mid-January, so it was probably in discussions for a while already. Fergie only told United that he was retiring in March. So in reality, it was just never going to happen.I dunno, not sure how the process would have worked but in Leading Sir Alex says something along the lines of “I asked Pep to phone me before he accepted an offer from another club but he didn't and wound up joining Bayern Munich in July 2013”.
Truly hate that expression: 'sliding doors moment'.It's a real sliding doors moment in United history though.
Yes I read that as well.Wasn't it Sir Bobby (RIP) who had serious reservations about Mourinho's character and lack of grace? Or did I imagine that?
Sustained success is not secondary.There is no way he wouldn't have done better with that set of players than Moyes did. But hey, he's a cnut so "success is secondary" at this club to some fans Some things never change.
They had lunch at a point in time where SAF didn't even know he was retiring so he definitely didn't offer him the United job.Apparently they had a dinner.. SAF insinuated and Pep implied he was already going elsewhere
There was a very good reason Moyes happened to be out of contract that summer. The first and only summer he was out of contract after 11 years at Everton.I think Moyes was a few names down the list, but he was on the list nonetheless.
Jose had agreed to go to Chelsea, Ancelotti had agreed to go to Madrid, Pep had agreed to go to Bayern. It would be like trying to replace Ten Hag now - who else is there?
They probably looked at their shortlist containing all those names, realised Moyes was out of contract in the summer, not in demand by anyone else and thought they’d take the left field option. You also have to remember that back then we still had that arrogant “we’re not like other clubs” mindset. We probably liked the idea of shunning the top names in favour of the steady choice.
I heard it was the December of the season he retired. I think SAF would have already known he was retiring 4-5 months later. Only reason he’d be inviting Pep for dinner we can only speculateThey had lunch at a point in time where SAF didn't even know he was retiring so he definitely didn't offer him the United job.
I think that if you offering someone a huge job you'll be awfully clear about it.I heard it was the December of the season he retired. I think SAF would have already known he was retiring 4-5 months later. Only reason he’d be inviting Pep for dinner we can only speculate
I think that if you offering someone a huge job you'll be awfully clear about it.