Moyes claws himself out of the mire after big job disaster
However you plan to use up your allotted time on this spinning geoid of mud and liquid, as it hurtles unrelentingly through the cosmos, I think we can all agree, the hunger to better one’s self is an important characteristic of the species. It’s arguably what makes us human and not, for example, a door head ant. (Go on, Google ‘door head ant’ and prepare to feel much better about your own unfulfilled existence.)
A football manager is no different. Indeed, the pursuit of self-improvement is a trait inherent in all those who’ve reached the very highest summit of the sport. From Rinus Michels to Arsène Wenger; they’ve all been driven by the desire for more.
Take Alex Ferguson. His legendary status at Aberdeen could’ve been further established, had he remained at Pittodrie after winning multiple League and European titles in the mid-80s and hauled his dominance over the Old Firm through to the next decade. But, as would any coach with lofty ambitions, he saw the opportunity to take over one of Europe’s most famous clubs— if not the most successful at the time— and create a dynasty of even greater repute.
Likewise, David Moyes. Given a few more years, he could have tunnelled his roots even deeper at Everton, perhaps even won a trophy or two, and put his name alongside Thomas H. McIntosh and Howard Kendall in Goodison folklore. But his desires too were motivated by the promise of better things like a visit to online casinos usa. When Manchester United came calling, there was no other choice for the former Preston coach.
Sam Allardyce regularly detailed his aspirations to manage at the highest level. With timbres of irony, he talked about the number of trophies he would’ve collected had he been given a chance at Inter Milan or Real Madrid— he’d win the double every season, naturally. His dream vocation, however, was always focused on the international stage. He wanted the England job and in the summer of 2016, he got it.
All those years brawling in the mid-table fighting pits with West Ham and Bolton Wanderers were worth it. As Big Sam would tell you himself, it was that motivation to further his standing in the game, as in all walks of life, that kept the fires burning. His personal goals sustained him.
So, what happens, as was the case for Moyes and Allardyce, when you finally do land that fantasy job — and you make a complete tit of it? What happens, to quote Tyrion Lannister, when the joy turns to ashes in your mouth?
Well, after a few years of despair at Sunderland and Real Sociedad, David Moyes has proved you can come back. While Sam Allardyce had never really recovered from the ignominy of the disastrous 67-day England reign, the former Preston coach has been positively rejuvenated at West Ham, proving that his early work at Everton was no fluke. Two brilliant Premier League finishes and Europa League semi-final, playing some quite brilliant football along the way with a nicely blended squad of exuberant youth and grizzly experience. It’s been a story of redemption instead of caution. Good on him.
