Former Man United defender Clayton Blackmore is of the view that it was logic-defying team selections with top players being deemed ‘too old,’ that were the main blunders of former boss David Moyes.
Blackmore, who served Man United as a first team player throughout the 1980s and early ‘90s under legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson, had backed Ferguson’s successor David Moyes at the start of his appointment in 2013.
But, as the season progressed and the team fell into a consistent run of poor form and results, he said the combination of poor player performances and injudicious team selections were Man United’s downfall, with Moyes opting to leave experienced players such as Rio Ferdinand out of the side.
He told Football Express News: “A lot of individual player performances weren’t good last season but where Moyes went wrong, was with team selections.”
“Rio Ferdinand was fit but didn’t play nearly enough in my opinion, and it was the same with Ryan Giggs.”
In the 2013/2014 season, Ferdinand featured in 14 of Man United’s Premier League fixtures and Giggs in twelve.
“People were saying they weren’t picked because they’re too old, but players like those guys have so much experience. I believe if a player is fit, he is good to play, whatever age is he is, and Ferdinand and Giggs are still great players.”
Blackmore, who coaches at the Manchester United youth academy, believes Moyes would have kept his appointment as first team coach had he managed to finish the side in the Premier League top four.
“It was a tough one for David Moyes,” he said, “I think had United have ended up in the top four, he would still be there now.”