David Moyes Can Be a Manchester United Success Story If He Is Given Time

Give David Moyes time, is my message to Manchester United and their disillusioned fans.

I was convinced before the season started that Manchester United would struggle to make the top four in the Premier League. My prediction that United would miss out on the Champions League spot might have raised a few eyebrows back in August, but I imagine it wouldn’t now!

However, there was a huge boost in confidence levels when Moyes finally had something to smile about by guiding the team into the Champions League quarter-finals. Then came the draw for the next round. Bayern Munich!  

Oh dear. Good luck with that one. They will need it!  

Robin van Persie’s decisive hat-trick against Olympiakos lifted the spirits and partially lifted the gloom descending over Old Trafford since the new manager took over from Sir Alex Ferguson. Then he suffered an injury at the end of that same game. Then there was the derby defeat.

Moyes and his team rebuilding have a long, long way to go. Sir Alex Ferguson would have sold Wayne Rooney to help finance some big signings and build a new team.  

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It’s a difficult job for Moyes. Let’s face it, it would have been a difficult job for anyone replacing such a legend as Fergie.

But Manchester United remain one of the biggest clubs in the world and Moyes has enough know-how and experience to sort it out, and he has to be given time to get it right.

They have got to give Moyes time to build something. Manchester United have a plan, they gave him a six-year contract and he needs to be given a chance.

Moyes is paying the price for a lack of investment in the transfer window last summer; it was a big mistake, but they won’t make the same mistake again.

Had Sir Alex stayed on he would have spent whatever it took to bring in four new top grade players for this season, and he wouldn’t have hesitated in selling Wayne Rooney if necessary to help fund it.

United were linked with Cristiano Ronaldo, Cesc Fabregas, Gareth Bale, via Oliver Holt of The Mirror, and Ander Herrera, per Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail, but they ended up with only Marouane Fellaini.

Sir Alex knew when the time was right to move players on, even the biggest, and that has been the case with icons like David Beckham, Roy Keane, and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

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If Ferguson had stayed this season he wouldn’t have just brought one player in. He was the master of rebuilding and reshaping a team, so it never had to be totally dismantled.

Sir Alex would have known he had to sign a midfielder last summer. He wouldn’t have allowed just Fellaini to come in. Looking back, that was where David Moyes needed to go out and strengthen the squad.

United’s only hope is keeping Van Persie and Rooney playing. That's the key. But Van Persie is injured again.

It’s not going right for Moyes and United, but it will given time.

Glenn Hoddle is technical director of Football 30, where 80 of the greatest legends from Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham will take part in the Elite Legends Cup at Brisbane Road, on May 18.

Paolo Di Canio, Teddy Sheringham, Gianfranco Zola and Martin Keown are among a multitude of top stars participating.