Moyes on brink of taking over as United boss

Although there has been no announcement from the club following on from Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement bombshell, Moyes is understood to be top of their list of candidates to replace the Scot.

It is impossible to see Moyes turning the offer down and as his contract with Everton is due to expire in the summer anyway, there is not thought to be any reason for the appointment to be delayed beyond the next 48 hours, with the potential for the process to be concluded as early as today.

It would see Moyes becoming United’s 20th manager, and the seventh Scot, joining an illustrious list, which includes Sir Matt Busby, Tommy Docherty and, of course, Ferguson himself.

As rumours swept around Manchester on Tuesday night of Ferguson’s impending departure, it did seem there were only three plausible candidates, Moyes, Jose Mourinho and Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.

Given the short timescale United are working to, it was impossible to imagine Klopp resigning before Dortmund’s Champions League final with Bayern Munich, whilst Sir Bobby Charlton, who has significant influence at Old Trafford, does not believe Mourinho’s capacity for external and internal conflict sits well.

That leaves Moyes, even if his European experience – limited to just 26 games, which have yielded 14 wins – is less than United have managed in the last three seasons alone.

“The qualities we are looking for are the ones that have been inherent at Manchester United for many years,” chief executive David Gill said.

“Our two most successful eras were with managers who got involved with all aspects of the club, from the youth team to the first team, and had that degree of loyalty and understanding of the football club.

“Clearly he has to have the requisite football experience, both in terms of domestic and European experience. It is a small pool but we will move forward.”

Moyes’s name is openly being discussed in the United dressing room and it now would be a sensational development if the 50-year-old was not installed, even if he could well end the season at Everton as Ferguson is not standing down until after his final game at West Brom on May 19.

Yesterday, Ferguson insisted the time was right to end his managerial career.

After almost 27 years in the Old Trafford hotseat, Ferguson confirmed he will stand down at the end of the season.

It means the Scot will get the chance to say farewell to the United faithful when the Premier League trophy is presented after Sunday’s encounter with Swansea.

Twenty-four hours after that he will address the crowd at the start of United’s trophy parade into the centre of Manchester, which is now certain to attract enormous crowds, before finally bowing out after his 1,500th game as Red Devils boss, at West Brom. After 38 trophies and so many memories, it seems a brutal conclusion, especially as Ferguson declared in his own programme notes on Sunday that he intended to carry on for a while yet.

But the 71-year-old is adamant he is right to bow out now.

“The decision to retire is one I have thought a great deal about and one I have not taken lightly,” he said. “It is the right time.”

As long ago as last summer, Wigan chairman Dave Whelan claimed the United manager would stand down at the end of this season as a direct consequence of the health scare he suffered 12 months ago when he was rushed to hospital to stem nose bleeds caused by an excess number of short flights.

Ferguson did curb his travel to some extent, although he did head to Glasgow on Monday for the legends game between United and Rangers at Ibrox.

However, having already had a pacemaker fitted in 2004, Ferguson had to take further notice of his health when he was informed surgery was required to cure a hip complaint.

So, in assessing a squad good enough to win the title with four games to spare and one that was unfortunate to get knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid, Ferguson concluded they were in good enough shape for him to leave behind.

“It was important to me to leave an organisation in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so,” said Ferguson.

“The quality of this league-winning squad, and the balance of ages within it, bodes well for continued success at the highest level whilst the structure of the youth set-up will ensure that the long-term future of the club remains a bright one.”

Crucially, Ferguson has complete confidence in the man who will replace him, unlike in 2002 when he feared his work was about to get wrecked by Sven Goran Eriksson.

In agreeing to remain as a director and club ambassador, the 71-year-old is retaining a link to Old Trafford which many view as being crucial to the potential success of the man who is coming in, given what a terrifyingly tough act he has to follow.