Former United Defender Gordon McQueen Blasts United Over Moyes Sack

Former Manchester United defender Gordon McQueen has described the Red Devils as a club in “mayhem” and attacked the manner in which David Moyes was sacked. The 61-year-old insists that Moyes took over an “average team” this summer despite the club having just won the Premier League title by 11 points under Sir Alex Ferguson and was surprised to see the Scot leave.

“I’m totally shocked by the decision to sack David and the manner in which it was done was horrendous," he told Goal.

“It is total mayhem there and there are no guarantees whoever replaces him will be able to put things right. David was voted manager of the year by his peers three times, people forget that.


“Someone at the club, whether it was the owners or the chief executive obviously had enough after the 2-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday and couldn’t wait to get shot of him.

“Of course this season has been a huge disappointment, but it was always going to be a tough season and panic has set in.

“He wasn’t dealt a great hand at United because the team that won the league was on the way down. In many ways it got lucky last season as it was nothing more than an average United team.

“David was promised time and given a six-year contract. He was prepared to stick it out and prove people wrong, but the loyalty wasn’t there in return.

“He is an honourable man and, believe me, no one in the game works harder. He deserved better than to find out he was going to be sacked on Twitter.”

McQueen believes that Moyes never recovered from the calamity of his first signing, Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini for £27.5 million from his previous club Everton.

“I think his biggest problem was in the transfer market and the signing of Fellaini set the tone," he added

“Fans wanted to signings like Cesc Fabregas but that never happened and even the arrival of Juan Mata from Chelsea in January did not have the impact it should have done.

“Manchester United have no divine right to win things and it takes time for a new manager to win the trust of players and make his own mark on the club.

“The club knows that a lot of money will have to be spent in the summer on half-a-dozen players but it looks like they don’t trust David to spend it wisely.

“It might take the next man twice as long to understand the club as it took David because they are likely to go for someone from abroad unlikely to have any insight into what makes Manchester United.

“Ryan Giggs might take the reins until the end of the season and with three home games and an away match at Southampton, he could win all four. What happens then? Do you give it to him full-time?

“United have got to be careful they get it right this time because as Liverpool proved over 20 years ago if you don’t you can go years in the doldrums.”