A Tribute to the Man We Call Paul Scholes

After an outstanding 19-year reign under Sir Alex Ferguson the ginger prince can finally hang up his boots and live life in royalty. As a member of Fergie’s famous “class of 92” Scholes has been an integral part of the club success over the past 20 years. The man from Stoke has made 717 appearances for Manchester United, winning 11 league titles, three FA Cups and two Champions Leagues. Scholes was and still is a quiet, humble and intrinsic character off the field, but on the field he’s a different man.

Paul Scholes may have wanted a quiet retirement but he’s not getting away without a tribute from me.

For any aspiring young footballer out there, if you want to know what the definition of a “complete midfielder” Paul Scholes is your man. In his prime Scholes had excellent timing of off-the-ball runs and would often score goals from loose ball situations in the box. Although leave the man at your pearl, outside of the box Scholes was just as competent of striking a “thronker” into the top corner. With that being said, the one skill Scholes will be most remembered for is his passing. Long, short, switching the play or the final pass, Scholes could do it all. His ability to perfectly place his passes into his team-mates feet was unbelievable. The attention to detail on each and every pass was second to none and no one could do it better, he’d hit the target almost every time. This just might have been the reasoning behind why they called him the “sat-nav”. I’ll leave you with Ronaldo to sum it up:

“When we were in training, I used to do a lot of tricks which hardly any players at the club could do. Once i was showing my skills to Scholes. After I finished it, Scholes took the ball and pointed to a tree which was about 50m from where we were standing. He said, I’m going to hit it in one shot. He kicked and hit the tree. He asked me to do the same; I kicked about 10 times, but still couldn’t hit it, with that Accuracy. He smiled and left.”

In his later years Scholes diversified into a new role, once again showing his array of passing abilities. Now finding himself as a deep-lying play maker  the 37-year-old would control the tempo of games by floating around the half-way line and becoming more of a distributor of the ball. Amazingly Scholes still managed to rack up a 92.5% pass completion rate in this period.

Scholes was truly one of a kind and it’s unlikely we’ll ever see a player of his stature again. He had all the qualities you’d want in a midfielder, excellent distribution, great play-making skills, a long-range shot and a wonderful footballing brain. The label as “one of the greatest central-midfielders of his generation” is fully justifiable.

It’s not often that English players are praised so highly, but the 38-year-old was different in that respect. Quoted as one of the best midfielders of his generation Paul Scholes was a special player. Fans, players, managers, everyone adored how talented the man was. So as a tribute gathered together five quotes about the legend of Paul Scholes.

Zinedine Zidane

“My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder.”

Pele

“If he was playing with me, I would have scored so many more.”

Pep Guardiola:

 “Out of everyone at Manchester United, I would pick out Scholes – he is the best midfielder of his generation. I would have loved to have played alongside him.” 

Lionel Messi

“At La Masia his name was mentioned a lot. He’s a teacher.” 

Glenn Hoddle

“There isn’t a player of his mould anywhere in the world.”

So this week we all had to endure that horrific few minutes of Rio Ferdinand chanting “Paul Scholes scores goals” at the victory parade. Despite the poor quality of the vocals, the lyrics couldn’t be anything more than the truth. Scholes was a master of shooting from outside the box. Given the space to shoot he wouldn’t hesitate to fire one towards goal. In his time at Manchester United he scored 155 goals and he’s some of his best.

So that about sums up my tribute to Scholes. I’d just like to say, Scholes you’ve been a wonderful servant to the club over the years and will go down as one of the true legends of the game. So yeah, you did turn out to be a half decent player after all.

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My Personal Manchester United XI under Sir Alex Ferguson

Goalkeeper – Peter Schmeichel

Starting off with one of Sir Alex’s finest investments, £500,000 pound signing Peter Schmeichel from Brøndby has to go down as one of the greatest keepers of all time. With a strong physique and fierce persona, he was a man few would mess with. Nicknamed the “The Great Dane”, Schmeichel had great shot-stopping abilities and a monstrous presence which made him become the blueprint of the modern goalkeeper. A man brimming with confidence, Peter Schmeichel was most influential in the greatest year of Manchester United history, the season of 1999. After all there are not many goalkeepers’ people would there mortgage on in a one-on-one situation but you would with this guy.

Right Back – Gary Neville

Sir Alex was probably right when he said that Gary Neville was “the best English right-back of his generation.” Neville was a fan favourite amongst the United fans and captained the side from 2005-2011.  As a player, Neville had a fantastic partnership with David Beckham and the two played a pivotal part of the clubs success during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Neville was the definition of consistency putting in an 8 out of 10 performance week in week out. Not only that but he was an intelligent man on the field and had a great understanding of the game. Even now, Neville’s appearances as a pundit on Sky Sports show just how good of a footballing brain he has.

Centre-Back – Rio Ferdinand

Questionably one of Sir Alex’s best big money signings, Rio Ferdinand has been a brick wall for the Red Devils over the last decade. Ferdinand is one of games most well-disciplined players in the league rarely getting in the referee’s book. An excellent reader of the game, the Englishmen has sound positional awareness and shows great composure on the ball. His finest hour came in 2008 when he captained the side to a 2^nd Champion’s League title. In recent years he’s formed a formidable partnership with Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic. As a pairing these two have become one of the best central pairings in the last decade of the Premier League.

Centre-Back – Steve Bruce

Fans will always remember Steve Bruce for the goals he scored against Sheffield Wednesday that became so crucial in handing Ferguson his first Premier League title. Alongside Gary Pallister, the two became the finest centre-back pairing in the country at the time. As a player Steve Bruce had great leadership skills, captaining the club to their first double 1993-1994 and then again 1995-1996. That wasn’t just all Bruce had in locker though, his aerial presence and consistent composure made him a statue in defence. Surprisingly Steve Bruce never made an England appearance, even after a string of fantastic performances and title winning seasons.

Left Back – Dennis Irwin

This is questionably United’s weakest position over the years. There are only two ideal candidates for the position in Patrice Evra and Dennis Irwin. Evra’s inconsistencies on the defensive floor have cost him his first team place in my team. Irwin was a man of few words, an unsung hero and a player who made over 350 appearances for Manchester United. Watching Everton’s left-back Leighton Baines somewhat reminds me of the Irishmen. A player that was not only reliable on his defensive responsibilities but one who was also deadly from set pieces. With his missile like free-kicks, great crossing ability and sound performances on the defensive side, Dennis Irwin deserves a spot in the team.

Right Midfield – Cristiano Ronaldo

Not many players leave Manchester United and still remain in the hearts of the fans, but Ronaldo was different to the rest. Ronaldo left the club in 2009 to play for his boyhood dream Real Madrid but none can forget his best years in a united shirt. Ronaldo came to Manchester as a skinny, skilful and pacey young winger. Under the guidance of Sir Alex the Portuguese winger became arguably the best player in the world winning his one and only ballon d’or at Old Trafford. If it wasn’t for the emergence of Lionel Messi many would still regard Ronaldo as the best player on the footballing planet. His finest moment was in the 2007/8 season when he scored an unbelievable 42 goals as a winger.

Central Midfield – Paul Scholes

Arguably one of the finest midfielders of his generation, Paul Scholes was one of Fergie’s finest home-grown talents. Also known as the “Sat-Nav” Paul Scholes could pinpoint a pass from anywhere on the pitch. Ronaldo summed it up best when he said “Scholes took the ball and pointed to a tree which was about 50m from where we were standing. He said, I’m going to hit it in one shot. He kicked and hit the tree.” The man from stoke was the complete midfielder, whether it be long passes switching the play, the final pass or a long-range shot, Scholes had it all.

Central Midfield – Roy Keane

This maybe a generational thing but Roy Keane gets the spot over Bryan Robson. Keane is one of the game most feared players. On the field he was a fiery character, one who you wouldn’t want to get the wrong side of. He was the pinnacle of a box-to-box styled midfielder that would operate well on both ends of the pitch. He’d make great on and off the ball runs and would score his fair share of goals too. His performance against Juventus in the 1999 Champions League Semi-final was arguably the finest individual display of the Ferguson era.

Left Midfield – Ryan Giggs

In the words of Sir Alex Ferguson, Ryan Giggs is a “unique freak” and in fairness he wouldn’t be too far off. Ryan Giggs is now the only remaining player of the famous “Class of ’92” and is still playing at the highest level of football aged of 39. He is the only premier league player to score in every season he’s played in, 23 to be exact.  As a player, the Welshman started his career gliding past opponents on the left wing, but in recent years he’s diversified his game to keep in shape and become a central midfielder. In his stellar career Giggs has had many high moments, you only need to look at his trophy cabinet for that, but his run goal against Arsenal in the FA cup semi-final has to be up there with the best.

Striker – Eric Cantona

People tend to forget, had Sheffield Wednesday manager Trevor Francis responded positively to Ferguson’s fax earlier that day over a bid for striker David Hirst, Eric Cantona may never have been a Manchester United player. The Frechman went on to achieve great things and was probably the Premier League’s first superstar. A man who secured 4 titles in 5 seasons for Manchester United, and the other one? He ended up side-lined for most of it after a kung-fu kick even Jackie Chan would be proud of. Cantona was player with wonderful technique, strength and had a knack for scoring goals.

Striker – Wayne Rooney

It’s fair to say this spot could be filled with at least another six or seven player. Sir Alex Ferguson has been astute at bringing in the finest strikers to Old Trafford and this is a compliment to his managerial style of play.

So with that being said I’ve gone for Wayne Rooney. Not the Wayne Rooney of 2012/13 but the Wayne Rooney that was so influential in Manchester United’s success in recent years. I’ll always remember the day Clive Tyldesley said “remember the name Wayne Rooney”. Although not in a united shirt at the time, Wayne Rooney signed for United for £30 million in 2004 and soon became the team’s talisman. With grit determination, versatility, and a ridiculous work rate, Rooney is the definition of a Manchester United player. Rooney is a player that will do anything for the team and that often means taking a back seat. We saw this most evidently with Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and this season with Robin Van Persie. Rooney is a man that makes things happen and the team don’t look the same without him.

Why the Future Looks Bright in the Wake of Ferguson’s Retirement

Last week saw many fans worry about the future of Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson announced his retirement from management. A lot of fans knew no different from the great Scot and weren’t use to change, after all the club hadn’t seen it in 26 years. However instead of worrying about this inevitable change, why not embrace it? There are many reasons for fans to be optimistic and this blog aims to provide that reassurance that Manchester United will remain a force in world football for years to come. So refs blow your whistle and let’s get this blog started.

Strong Business Model

For most of the season David Gill is a quiet man, one that rarely indulges in the media spotlight and likes to get on with business. But people shouldn’t question the relationship between Sir Alex and David Gill. Between the two they’ve managed to drive Manchester United football club forward both on and off the pitch. The stature of the club in the late 1980’s was nothing like the global brand that Manchester United football club is today and these two deserve honourable mentions for that.  For sure, the club do have debt and this is to be repaid over the next few years, but the club consistently competes for titles year in year out. As a manager Sir Alex has always done his up most to drive a hard bargain and promote youth to keep costs low. David Gill and co has helped to globalise the brand and enter markets like Asia that will bring in great revenues. Together this has help build a stable and successful business.

Unlike board member of Chelsea and Manchester City, the board at Old Trafford and the new manager will never risk the safety of the business for future success. This resembles a strong business model and one that clearly works for this football clubs. With Sir Alex now heading ‘upstairs’ himself, the board will look stronger with the club still being able to attract big names and continue the clubs traditions.

Youth

If you want role models of Manchester United’s youth academy, look no further than Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck. The two united players resemble the legacy of what Manchester United’s youth academy is all about.  Both have represented the club for almost 10 years now and developed through the ranks to become increasingly influential first team players. History speaks for itself; promoting youth has been part of Manchester United’s business model, and has been for a number of years now. Most notably Fergie’s Fledglings i.e. Class of 92, won the treble in 1999 which became the catalyst to United’s conveyor belt of home-grown talent over the last 20 years.

Football has globalised more than ever over the past 30 years and now clubs are seeking the brightest young talent from not just their respective countries but globally. Teams are multi-cultural but United still remain that balance of home-grown talent. This is with the likes of Nick Powell, Wilfred Zaha, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling believing they have what it takes to achieve greatness at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex’s ethics have led to ensuring that players brought in respect his rich legacy. Sir Alex was a man who wouldn’t surrender to a player who seeks more value in higher wages than playing for the badge and Manchester United. This was most evident with the likes of Paul Pogba who left the club for Turin after falling out with Sir Alex over his wages. David Moyes must carry on these rich traditions if United are to continue success of nurturing its own talent that has provided them with so much success in recent years.

Current Squad

One of the factors that saw United’s achievement of a 20^th league title was the depth within the current squad. I’m not talking about the starting eleven but the full squad of 24. If you were to look at the starting 11’s of bitter rival’s Chelsea and noisy neighbours Manchester City, It would be fair to say that they are stronger. However these clubs simply can’t replace like-for-like in the way Manchester United can. Phil Jones is an excellent utility man, while the experience of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs is invaluable from the bench in place of the likes of Michael Carrick and Shinji Kagawa. You simply couldn’t replace the likes of Yaya Toure and David Silva at Manchester City and achieve the same performance. It’s a squad full of goals, experience, youth and the ability to dig deep and win even when the team is playing poorly. As Alan Hansan would say, that’s the sign of Champions! This was most evident in the 1-0 win over Reading where the squad were playing poorly but still managed to get the vital 3 points. The combination of an epic worth ethic and versatility within the squad is the reason behind United’s success this season.

Looking forward David Moyes will need to invest in new players to replace Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs but the principles of the technique remain in place and that’s the key here. If United can remain to bring this strength in-depth then the club could deliver many titles in the near future.

A Good Coach In David Moyes

Some fans were calling for Jose, others Jurgen Klopp but Manchester United chose David Moyes and rightly so. My blog last week on The Good the Bad and the Manchester United of David Moyes explained the qualities of the ex-Everton manger but what stood out with David Moyes was the similarity of his traits to those of Sir Alex.The new man for the job has a wonderful work ethic, a competitive spirit and a willingness to give opportunities to youth. His fiery but honest persona will be respected by both the players and the staff at Old Trafford and that’s a positive sign for fans. David Moyes is a man who will respect the business model that I mentioned earlier, one that is critical to the longevity of the clubs success. Could you imagine Jose Mourinho coming in and splashing all the clubs millions of star players and not caring about youth? That’s just not the Manchester United way and is most likely why he’ll be heading to West-London this summer. David Moyes is the ideal successor but it’s important for him to be the catalyst to ensure long-term success for Manchester United football club. So let’s embrace the new era and in the words of Sir Alex “Your job now is to stand by our new manager. That is important”.

Coke: Getting Down and Personal

So at the weekend I was in my hometown of Cheltenham, I decided to make it a personal challenge of mine to find a coke with my name on it. After trawling along shelves and through bottles of coke, I finally found one with my name on it (See my happy face below).

So after all the excitement and joy of finding the coke personal to me, it got me thinking about the notion behind it and how crafty the marketing strategy actually was. The ‘Share a Coke’ campaign was all about driving consumer engagement as the company looked to create intrigue around the brand.  The on-pack creative also featured the hashtag #ShareACoke which aimed to encourage consumers to tell their friends about their discovery online. This is a fantastic example of ‘Frictionless Commerce’ which I mentioned in my blog last week. Coke has simply diversified its packaging to achieve consumer engagement and used social media site Twitter as a digital platform to achieve the stimulation of offline sales. The advancements in social media and technology have enabled businesses to find cheaper ways of promoting products through such methods. Therefore providing companies like Coca-Cola with more cost-effective strategies that will encourage greater rates of return.

Last week’s blog on contemporary trends within marketing also talked about this perception of social engineering and the increase of consumer empowerment and mass customisation. The campaign is a quirky example as Coca Cola have customised their products for the mass market, personalising them with the 30 most popular male and female names in the UK. But my name isn’t that popular I hear you say! Well don’t fear, you can visit the Share A Coke UK website or the Share A Coke Facebook app to create virtual cans with your name on the front. By generating this type of engagement, the product will create a fun and personalised experienced for its consumers; in turn helping drive quick sales with the potential for long-term consumer engagement for Coca Cola.  Caroline Cater, operational marketing director for Coca-Cola Enterprises, helps summarise by saying

“This is the first time in our long history that we’ve ever replaced the iconic “Coca-Cola” script on pack and who better to celebrate with than the people who love our brands the most – our consumers. It’s fantastic that we can really personalise the product for them.”

Coca-Cola also launched a TV ad campaign on 11^th May to support Coke’s biggest summer marketing campaign so be sure to check it out below. It’s really helps convey the messages of the campaign and this thought of consumer engagement.

Vibrating Fundawear: The Future of Foreplay

Gone the days of sexting and stripping on Skype, let me introduce you to Durex’s new brand ‘Fundawear’. A new line of lingerie, designed for long-distance relationships, allowing couples to ‘touch each other over the internet’. The condom manufacturers have worked in collaboration with Havas Worldwide, Snepo Technologies and Australian fashion designer Billie Whitehouse to create the future of foreplay. How? You may be asking yourselves but with the use modern technology, this has become a possibility.

Using a miniature styled motor called actuators, which are woven into the material, allows for wireless signals to be sent via smart phones creating vibrations in the partner’s underwear. The actuator motors are also a fundamental part of phone technology and are used in touch-screen phones to enable the touch senses. This has also enabled for users to apply various amounts of sensitivity on the underwear itself, using an interface which can be opened on a smart phone platform. The technology doesn’t stop there with the use of an amazon server that creates a cross link between both users. So in reality, this is about being able to transfer touch over fast distances using smart technology.

The ‘Durexperiment’ strategy was innovated to reinforce the brand’s positioning; encouraging consumers to have fun experience whilst experimenting with a new kind of foreplay. This follows my previous blog when I explained the notion of ‘Smart creativity’ and this is a great industry-related example. The company have clearly used the advancements in technology to create new goals and in this case a brand new product concept. It’s yet to be similar to anything in the current market and could be the start of a new creation within the sex-toy industry.

Steve Coll, Executive Creative Director behind the project added; “As a start it’s kind of fun but it’s more complicated than it seems. We’ve done a lot of research in terms of the sex toys out there. There is nothing that’s been created like this. While it’s fun and light-hearted there is some serious innovation behind it.

So it’s that simple guys, all you need are three things, a smart phone with internet connection, a partner and a pair of Durex’s Fundawear.  Well I say simple, I may have been a bit misleading because Durex are yet to fully release this. The safe-sex giants, have currently only made the product in prototype form and are waiting on a positive public interest before any further development takes place. There have been movements in terms of promotional offers with Durex launching a social media campaign, where couples can win a weekend away in a luxury hotel to test out the clever tech themselves.

The Good, the Bad and the Manchester United of David Moyes

Today, BBC Sport reported the news that Manchester United have appointed 11-year Everton veteran David Moyes as the new manager of Manchester United. David Moyes was at the end of his contract with the Toffees and has agreed new terms with Manchester United.

“David Moyes will succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager on a six-year deal starting on 1 July”

This embarks the new era of Manchester United, one that many fans around my age aren’t use too. Fans can sit around and reminisce about the wonders of Sir Alex’s 26 year reign, but it’s time to consider the new man in charge. This blog aims to look at the good, the bad and the Manchester United of David Moyes.

The Good

So to be positive, let’s start off with the good of David Moyes. Firstly what stands out clearly is the man’s level of experience in the Barclays Premier League. After a successful tenure at Preston North End, where he secured a division two title and a division one play-off spot, Moyes was appointed boss of Everton and stayed for 11 years. In this time, the ex-Everton manager has taken a club from near regelation to a solid top 10 side. People may doubt David Moyes but these sorts of achievements shouldn’t go unrecognised. Moyes has been able to consistently invest in the right player’s year in year out. This is shown most evidently with the likes of Baines, Fellani and Jelavic who have been pivotal to the success of Everton in the last few seasons. What makes this more impressive is the fact Everton financial position has left David Moyes with a small budget, one that he’s used to effective use.

What people may not realise are the similarities that Sir Alex and David Moyes have. Apart from the obvious that they’re both Glaswegian’s, both have similar traits. David Moyes is a man like Sir Alex who is determined, a winner and has a fiery presence. Like Sir Alex he also has been to be to manage more than one Everton side showing he can make that transition over time. To finish, it’s important to understand how respected David Moyes is in football; this should help gain instant respect from his players within the current squad.

The Bad

Although the ex-Everton manger may have the experience of facing premier league opponents; facing the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich is another story. Many fans are questioning David Moyes experience at the highest level and rightly so. The new appointed manager has had a limited amount of experience in the UEFA Champions League and this could play against Moyes in big European games. In addition, he’s yet to have a trophy to his name and this may worry Manchester United fans. The clubs fans level of expectation is some of the highest in the sporting world today and this puts extra pressure on David Moyes. In addition, being at a club like Everton and only recognised nationally questions whether Moyes can bring in Europeans finest talents. In the past players wanted to play for Fergie because of his stature in the game, Moyes doesn’t contain this same recognition and this could come costly for United in the summer transfer market. Whether or not Sir Alex sorted some signings out before the 1 July, we’ll have to wait and see.

From a tactical perspective, Moyes is a reactive coach, one that is defensive minded. His approach is to nullify the strengths, and expose the weaknesses, of his opposition. However this approach is negative and has seen his Everton side frustrate opponents, but rarely beat them. This is contradictive of the ‘you may be able to score, but we’ll score more’ approach that secured United a record 20^th league title. This potential change may not suit United and may affect they’re title chances with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City offering stellar attacking options. In addition, for Moyes tactics to work, United’s current crop of wingers won’t suit Moyes’s style of play. There will need to be investment in this area, which could see Baines come and another winger come to United this summer. Moyes relies on his wingers and this is stated by editor of the guardian Michael Cox when he said:

“The defining feature of Everton’s play this season is the crossing of Leighton Baines from the left, where his partnership with Steven Pienaar is arguably the best wide combination in the Premier League. One of the key parts of Moyes’s strategy is creating overloads – two-versus-one and three-versus-two situations – in wide areas”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21838331

The Manchester United of Moyes

It’s hard to say what the Manchester of Moyes will be like and only time will tell. The summer transfer market is for sure going to be an interesting one for Manchester United fans. Until August it will be hard to understand the way Manchester United will be lined up but the side is in a stable state as we speak. Only a couple of tweaks will need to be applied, central midfielder and another winger the most likely. In the coming days will also see the fate of Wayne Rooney, one which could see a major change within Moyes tactics. If this is the case United will need to bring in another star name like Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale.

Either way, I think it’s best to wish Sir Alex the best in his retirement and embrace the new era under David Moyes. Good luck to you David Moyes; you’re a very brave man!

Will It Be ‘The Chosen One or Brave heart’ Who Draws Red First?

The term ‘end of an era’ is one commonly used these days, but one that sums up Sir Alex’s reign at Manchester United suitably.  During his 26 year tenure at Manchester United, the Scot won 38 trophies, including thirteen Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two champions’ leagues. His achievements are unprecedented in the world of football management and some we’re unlikely to ever see again.

To suggest another manager would sit in that same seat at Old Trafford apart from Sir Alex is unthinkable. It brings back memories of the great Phil Jackson who stepped down from the La Lakers in 2011. He too was a man who brought so much success to a team, leaving a gaping hole in the organisation. Times change and Manchester United needs to find a suitable successor. Today’s newspaper reports suggest that there are two front-runners for the job. This lies in the hands of Jose Mourinho and David Moyes. With that being said this blog will aim look at what managerial skills each manger can bring to Manchester in the post-Ferguson era.

The Chosen One – Jose Mourinho

One of the finest managers of the modern era, Jose Mourinho was set to take his managerial talents to South London club Chelsea. A team that he’s enjoyed so much success during his 2004-2007 stint.  However football can be fickle and with friend and footballing rival Ferguson retiring, Jose just may re-consider. Who knows what could have gone down with those sweet post game conversation Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson had.  Mourinho is a manager with experience at the top-level, most memorably winning the 2004 champions league with underdogs Porto. The 50-year-old then went onto have successful domestic spells at Chelsea, Inter and most recently Real Madrid.

The chosen one is a winner, trophy hunter and tactical genius. In certain aspect this is the same as Sir Alex Ferguson, he too was a man with those traits. There is certainly no doubt about Mourinho’s track record, securing a 2 champions league trophies and 5 domestic league titles with 4 different clubs across Europe. He’s known for investing in the finest talent world football has to offer and plays with an attractive style of football. Like Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho is a trend setter in footballing tactics and this will revolutionise United’s play. The question is whether Manchester United wants change or more of the same.The latter I think make more sense after the achievements made this season. However what people surrounded in the football bubble admire the most is his man management skills. A cornerstone in Mourinho’s ‘methodology is the tailoring of communication to each individual. One of his finest examples was telling Frank Lampard he was the world’s best player but needed to win trophies challenging his ambition while exploiting the fact that, until then, Lampard had won nothing. Either way with Mourinho your guaranteed trophies and success, he was born to win football trophies. The 50-year-old also has a tremendous personality that would never end with him being overwhelmed by the scale of the task or daunted by the size of the job.

However the one question many would ask of Mourinho is the baggage that is carried with himself. For all his talents the man has a lot of collateral damage and bitter recriminations from which it takes a long time for the club to recover. This is something that the owners at Manchester United aren’t use too.

Brave heart – David Moyes

After uncertainty over his future at Everton, the fellow Scot has become one of the favourites for the managerial spot at Manchester United. For sure, David Moyes hasn’t seen the success that some may expect but what he’s done on a consistent basis with Everton is noteworthy. The Scot’s ability to build teams and promote youth is central to Manchester United’s business model and will favour Moyes’s side in the recruitment process. In addition, David Moyes is a man who likes to run the club as a whole and this is similar to what Sir Alex has done with his time at Manchester United.  There is also no question of Moyes’s loyalty with his 10 year tenure at Everton that has seen him consistently

However questions will be asked if Moyes is appointed as the next manager of Manchester United. Although he offers consistency, he’s yet to have a trophy in his cabinet and this may worry some fans. Manchester United and the clubs fans level of expectation is some of the highest in the sporting world today. Like we’ve seen with managers at other clubs, nerves get the better of some and they fail to meet this expectation. Managers that tend to have the lack of managing the top clubs in world football. Will Moyes be able to cope with the pressure or will he crumble? He’s a man that’s not use to coping with players who demand £200,000-a-week and their personal needs. That being said Moyes is a strong-willed manager, one that is assertive and good with man management so this comes in his favour.

Either way, whoever succeeds Ferguson would have to demonstrate that they “got” what United was all about, after this was quoted by the man himself prior to his retirement. Who do you want to become the next manager of Manchester United and the successor of the legend that is Sir Alex Ferguson?