David Moyes: ‘I know I will take invaluable experience from my time as United’s manager’

DAVID Moyes has released a statement about his dismissal, while Ryan Giggs has brought ex-teammate Paul Scholes on board to help out.

David Moyes has released a statement acknowledging he could understand United fans’ frustrations.

DAVID Moyes declared on Wednesday that he was “proud” to have managed Manchester United, but said that he understood the “frustration” that had led to his dismissal.

Moyes, 50, was sacked by United on Tuesday after a dismal 10-month tenure in which the reigning champions slumped to seventh place in the Premier League, denying them a place in next season’s Champions League.

“During this period of transition, performances and results have not been what Manchester United and its fans are used to or expect, and I both understand and share their frustration,” Moyes said in a statement released by the League Managers’ Association (LMA).

News_Image_File: David Moyes says he’s ‘proud’ to have managed United despite his tenure ending five years early.

“I have always believed that a manager never stops learning during his career, and I know I will take invaluable experience from my time as United’s manager.

“I remain proud to have led the team to the quarter-finals of this year’s Champions League and I remain grateful to Sir Alex Ferguson (his predecessor) for believing in my ability and giving me the chance to manage Manchester United.” The LMA, the trade union for managers working professionally in England, criticised United for the “unprofessional manner” in which Moyes was dismissed.

Chief executive Richard Bevan said the organisation was “very disappointed” that “extensive reports in the press” had announced Moyes’s sacking before he “had been spoken to officially by the club”.

News_Rich_Media: Manchester United fans have given their verdict on the dismissal of manager David Moyes, almost unanimous in suggesting he wasn't the right man for the job.

Although reports about Moyes’s departure first emerged in the British media on Monday afternoon, he did not learn of his fate until early on Tuesday morning.

Responding to Bevan’s comments, United said that they had not acted irresponsibly.

“We do not accept that it was handled in an unprofessional manner,” said a spokesperson.

“The decision was not taken until late Monday night and was communicated face-to-face first thing on Tuesday morning.

“When reports started emerging on internet news sites on Monday afternoon, no decision had been taken at that time.”

News_Rich_Media: A number of high profile members of the UK press have told Fox Sports football presenter Tara Rushton that Manchester United had no choice but to sack David Moyes, arguing that he was never the man for the job.

Moyes added: “Taking charge after such a long period of continuous stability and success at the club was inevitably going to be a significant challenge, but it was one which I relished and never had a second thought about taking on.

News_Image_File: Carlo Ancelotti has been linked with United.

“The scale of the manager’s job at United is immense, but I have never stepped away from hard work and the same applies to my coaching staff. I thank them for their dedication and loyalty throughout the last season.” British newspaper reports on Wednesday claimed that Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has been identified as a potential candidate for the United job.

Several papers said that Ancelotti was being considered for the vacancy, along with Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal, who emerged as the early favourite for the post.

However, whereas Ancelotti, the former Chelsea manager, is less than a year into a three-year contract at Madrid, Van Gaal is scheduled to step down from his position with Holland after this year’s World Cup in Brazil.

Van Gaal, 62, is currently on holiday in Portugal. Dutch tabloid Algemeen Dagblad reported that he was “maintaining radio silence”.

Long-serving midfielder Ryan Giggs has been placed in interim charge of first-team affairs “until a permanent appointment can be made”, United said.

News_Image_File: Louis van Gaal is the bookies’ favourite to manage United once his World Cup commitments are done.

The 40-year-old Welshman, who became a member of Moyes’s coaching staff at the beginning of the season, is expected to address the media for the first time since taking up his new role on Friday.

Giggs will be assisted by Phil Neville and Chris Woods, both of whom kept their jobs on United’s backroom staff despite having been brought in by Moyes, as well as youth-team coach and former teammate Nicky Butt.

However, Steve Round and Jimmy Lumsden, who were also appointed by Moyes, have both been fired.

News_Rich_Media: Former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich believes the club had no choice but to let go of under fire manager Mark Bosnich and believes Sir Alex Ferguson must be held accountable for appointing his own successor.

Meanwhile, former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has been drafted in to assist Giggs.

“It’s great to see Paul Scholes here at the Aon Training Complex today, assisting Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville,” United said on their official Twitter feed.

Giggs, 40, was placed in temporary charge of the first team on Tuesday.

Nicky Butt and Phil Neville were already on United’s backroom staff. Scholes briefly worked as a coach at the club after first retiring as a player in 2011.

As Ryan Giggs takes on a new role, browse our photos from his #mufc career so far: http://t.co/03A0pOHMwm pic.twitter.com/Luo2MTQeu7

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 22, 2014

Giggs, Neville, Scholes and Butt all graduated from the United youth team in the early 1990s and went on to play key roles in the success the club enjoyed under former manager Alex Ferguson.

Scholes, 39 came out of retirement to play under Ferguson last season, before ending his playing career for good at the end of the campaign.

Moyes reportedly tried to persuade Scholes to join his backroom staff at the start of the current season, but the former England international elected not to accept his offer.

News_Image_File: Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs playing together in 2010, in happier days for Manchester United.

Scholes made a total of 718 appearances for United, scoring 155 goals, and won 11 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, two Champions League titles and one Club World Cup during his time at United.

Giggs will take charge of United for the first time on Saturday, when the Red Devils host Norwich City in the first of their four remaining Premier League games.