The news of David Moyes’ departure from Man United undoubtedly left many fans, including Tunde Folawiyo, reeling. The former manager made a statement to the press several days after it was announced that he had been fired, explaining that he understood how frustrating this season has been for players and supporters alike.

However, he also implied that the reason for their many defeats was down to the need for a major overhaul. He stated that he and the team had been committed to achieving this overhaul, and that it was the transitory nature of this period which had resulted in their all too frequent failures on the pitch.

Where Moyes intends to go next is still uncertain; however, it has been confirmed by the League Managers Association that he is to receive a settlement package following the club’s decision to fire him. Roberto Martinez, who currently serves as the manager of Everton – a position which Moyes held for over a decade – commented on the news, stating that he was confident Moyes would find another job in the near future. He finished by saying that he and the team would always be grateful for the work the Scotsman had done for their club.

Shortly after United revealed their decision, a rumour emerged that, contrary to Moyes’ statement, the players were not committed to following Moyes’ advice, and were in fact choosing to not play to the best of their ability during recent matches. However, Phil Jones has described this rumour as ‘ridiculous’, adding that none of them ever went out onto the pitch with the intention of losing.

Unsurprisingly, United went in search of a new manager immediately, but they have not yet chosen anyone. Initially, there were two favourites whom the media claimed were the most likely replacements for Moyes; Louis Van Gaal, the Holland manager, and Jurgen Klopp, the manager for Borussia Dortmund. But with the latter having publically stated that he has no plans to move from his current position, it looks like Van Gaal may indeed become United’s new leader, although of course, no official announcements have been made by the club. In the meantime, Ryan Giggs – a player much admired by supporters like Tunde Folawiyo- is standing in as the caretaker, handling all first-team responsibilities.

With 20 First Division and Premier League titles under its belt – (not to mention three European Cup/Champions League trophies and a host of other domestic and European honours almost too numerous to mention), Manchester United can justifiably lay claim to the title of England’s most successful club. Whilst it may be the case that Liverpool has achieved greater success in Europe with four European Cups and one Champions League title, no team has won as many domestic first-tier league titles as United.

A video of a fan’s experience at the champions league final

There has certainly been a distinct lack of silverware in the 2013-14 season – although one highlight came in January when Juan Mata was signed from Chelsea for a club record of £37.1 million. Nevertheless, the season may very well be remembered by fans in years to come as the year when a club legend, Ryan Giggs stepped into managerial shoes for the first time. Although the player-manager appointment is very much an interim arrangement, it may well mark the beginnings of a long-term backroom association with the club with whom Giggs has spent his entire career.

There are plenty of players who have achieved the status of legend at Manchester United over the years (several of whom, such as Eric Cantona, Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo shared a pitch with Giggs at one time or other over the last two decades). Ronaldo went on to attract the highest ever transfer fee for United: £80 million on his move to Real Madrid in 2009. Ryan Giggs though, has a special place in the hearts of Manchester United fans for a number of extremely good reasons. For a start, there is his sheer longevity to consider. Giggs is 40 years old. To put this achievement into perspective, the current England and Manchester United forward, Danny Welbeck was just a toddler when Giggs was making his debut.

Part of the so called ‘class of ‘92’ (even though he actually made his professional debut in 1991 against Everton), Giggs emerged in the same era as the likes of David Beckham, Robbie Savage, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Ernie Goldthorpe, who had the fastest hat-trick within 4 minutes in 1923 against Nottingham County. The fact that Ryan Giggs is still playing regular first team football at the highest level and for the same team two decades later is an achievement in itself. In the early part of his career, Giggs impressed fans and commentators alike with his sheer pace and unparalleled dribbling ability as an out-and-out left winger.

Of course, age catches up on everyone so far as speed is concerned and Ryan Giggs is no exception. Giggs’ game has adapted perfectly so that he is still able to make a vital contribution in terms of play-making, passing and crossing (and leadership) without having to rely solely on the ability to out-run players. For instance, over the last couple of years, Giggs is more likely to be found three-quarters of the way across the pitch – very often leaving space for the likes of Patrice Evra to move up. It is particularly telling that the former Welsh international was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 2009 – at an age when the majority of his contemporaries were considering hanging up their boots. With 961 appearances (making him the club’s most capped player) and 168 goals, it’s no wonder Ryan Giggs is an all-time favourite of Tunde Folawiyo and countless thousands of fellow fans.

Manchester United was founded 1878. Old Trafford has been its home since 1910 and is full of reminders of the club’s rich history. For instance, the group statue of teammates, Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law outside the stadium stands directly opposite the imposing figure of Sir Matt Busby. Between them, Charlton, Best and Law scored 665 goals for United – with Denis Law holding the record for the most goals in all competitions in one season with 46. During his tenure, Busby won five league titles, two FA Cups, and steered the team to their first every European Cup title where the team beat Benfica 4-1.

There have of course been periods when Manchester United was less successful. 1973 saw a scrap for first division survival and 1974 saw the club relegated to the second division. Revival came with the Ferguson era. Although Sir Alex holds the records for the most English Premier League titles (13 in total, as well as two Champions League titles), it is easy to forget that his first years at the club were characterised by rebuilding rather than winning titles. Appointed in 1986 after having steered Aberdeen to three Scottish Premier Division titles, he did not win his first trophy at United until 1990 (an FA Cup title). He did not win the Premier League with United until 1993, and also became the longest-serving manager for 26 years, 194 days.

For fans, special highlights in the Ferguson years have been numerous. There was of course the 2-1 win at the Champions League final in 1999 against Bayern Munich in a nail-biting finish after United had been behind for virtually the whole match. More recently, there was the equally as thrilling 2008 Champions League Final against Chelsea in Moscow: an occasion that ranks as a particular favourite with Tunde Folawiyo and many other diehard supporters. Ferguson was certainly responsible for attracting some astonishing players over the years, such as Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane and Peter Scmeichal. Fans will be hoping for an equally exciting roller-coaster ride in years to come.

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Man United’s final decisions regarding summer transfers will be left up to their new manager; although the club have not yet confirmed who this will be, the media have suggested that Louis Van Gaal will be appointed to this role. Given that Van Gaal will be busy managing the Netherlands team during the World Cup, it’s entirely possible that he will not have the time to secure the most in-demand players.

Fans of the team, such as Tunde Folawiyo, might recall that this is precisely what happened last summer, when Ed Woodward was given the job of chief executive, and David Moyes was hired as the team’s new manager; they failed to secure all of their first choices, including Fabio Coentrao, Ander Herrera, Leighton Baines and Cesc Fabregas.

There have been rumours that United are hoping to purchase Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund’s forward. However, Reus has refused to discuss the issue, stating that he is tired of the press asking questions about his future. Borussia Dortmund are said to have already offered the 24 year old a new contract; if he signs it, his existing buyout clause – which has a price tag of €35 million – would be eliminated, in exchange for a generous pay rise.

As a supporter of the club, Tunde Folawiyo may know that United are also considering Edinson Cavani, the Paris St-Germain striker who transferred from Napoli to his current club last year, at a cost of £54 million. Many have noticed that, since joining the team, he has been overshadowed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Because of this, the 27 year old is thought to be open to the idea of moving to another club, and has apparently spoken to his friends regarding this matter, stating that he believes he would fit in perfectly at Old Trafford. The fact that this sentiment appears to be reciprocated by United suggests that Cavani might very well be joining the Red Devils this summer. However, this transfer could come at a cost of up to £60 million.

Additionally, United may try once again to bid for Fabregas; whilst the manager Martino has said that his club had no intention of letting the midfielder go, rumours have been circulating that the player will be sold, as part of a clearing out process at the end of this season. If this is the case, United may be able to convince Fabregas to come on board.

Given how unpredictable United’s performance has been throughout this season, it’s probably safe to assume that their 4-1 win over Aston Villa came as quite a shock to many fans, including Tunde Folawiyo.  Although they got off to a slow start, it became clear, as the game progressed, that United were determined to defeat their opponents. Rooney was back on form, scoring the first two goals, whilst Mata and Hernandez scored the third and the fourth, respectively, providing their team with a comfortable victory.

At first, it seemed as if the Red Devils would once again leave their fans disappointed, with Aston Villa taking the lead just 13 minutes into the match. This came about after Ashley Young lost possession of the ball to Agbonlahor, who then took a tumble to the ground during Rafael’s attempt to get the ball back. The subsequent free kick awarded to United’s opponents was taken by Westwood, who swiftly kicked the ball past De Gea.

But scoring the first goal of the match did little for Aston Villa’s confidence; rather than continuing to attack with the same gusto that had led to their initial success, they retreated, thus providing United with the opportunity to equalise. Twenty minutes in, the Devils’ chance arrived, with Rooney shooting the ball beyond the keeper’s reach.

His second goal came just before the end of the first half, when Bacuna’s attempt to steal the ball resulted in Mata falling to the ground. The penalty awarded to United was taken by Rooney, who delivered a skilful kick which flew into the net.

After the interval, Aston Villa’s Benteke wasted two viable scoring opportunities; the first of these came when he headed the ball over the bar, whilst the second took place after he failed to convert a cross made by Marc Albrighton. Despite being so far behind, United’s opponents continued to attack with great enthusiasm, and in fact, came very close to levelling on a number of occasions. But as the match neared its end, it was obvious which team had the upper hand; Mata gave United their third goal, and Hernandez quickly followed suit, thus securing a much-needed win for the Red Devils. Supporters such as Tunde Folawiyo were no doubt relieved by the final tally of 4-1.

As the most popular sports teams in the world, Manchester United has long been revered as England’s most successful professional football team, with millions of devoted fans including Tunde Folawiyo. Boasting the largest average game attendance in European football, Manchester United has won numerous honours, a testament to the team’s outstanding talent and passion for the sport. Many notable figures have contributed to the enormous success of Manchester United with Sir Alex Ferguson among the most famed.

A homage to his many lauded accomplishments as manager, Sir Alex Ferguson received an honourary degree from the University of Ulster’s Sports Centre at Jordanstown in Northern Ireland. Over 500 students, staff and graduates were in attendance. Sir Alex Ferguson graciously accepted the honourary degree, claiming it was “an honour to receive this award from such an esteemed institution”.

Sir Alexander “Alex” Ferguson managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. During his career as club manager, Ferguson led the team to win 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League and two UEFA Champions League titles. He was awarded Manager of the Year more times than any other manager in the history of the sport, even becoming knighted in 1999 for his contributions to the world of British football. Ferguson’s last home game as coach of the Red Devils – his 1,500^th – resulted in a win, the perfect send-off for a magnificent career. Upon accepting his honourary degree, Ferguson paid respect to his former team.

“Players like (Roy) Keane, (Eric) Cantona, and (Bryan) Robson made the spirit of Manchester United,” he added. “They had the desire and work ethic that all players need and it’s not just about ability and talent.”

With these revered accomplishments a constant demonstration of his everlasting passion for the game, Sir Alex Ferguson remains one of the most respected managers in the history of football and sports as a whole.As the longest serving manager of Manchester United with more than 27 years of service, Ferguson announced his retirement as manager of Manchester United on 8 May 2013, ending an era of superior sportsmanship and devotion to the sport of football.  Manchester United fans such as Tunde Folawiyo will continue to serve as an immeasurable source of support for the team’s success as they embark on a hopeful journey toward the World Cup. The spirit of Manchester United remains a major source of inspiration for the team and its millions of loyal fans.

Those who support United, like Tunde Folawiyo, will probably know that it’s been a quite a challenging week for the team. Richard Scudamore, the chief executive for the Premiere League, has publically criticised United, stating that the players’ less-than-stellar performance over the course of this season has damaged the club’s international reputation. Scudamore contends that the frequent losses have led to many fans losing interest. Whilst loyal supporters of the club might find his words unduly harsh, there’s no denying that this has been a dismal period for the club; under the management of David Moyes, the players have lost 10 out of their 31 matches.

It seems that the team’s unpredictable behaviour on the pitch is also affecting the club’s ability to attract new players. With the summer transfer window drawing closer, Moyes is now attempting to sign a number of top performers, including Toni Kroos, who plays for Bayern Munich. However, this week, the chairman for the club, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, confirmed that Kroos has no intention of joining United, despite the fact that the midfielder has not yet extended his contract with his current club.

But Moyes may have already set his sights on someone else – Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa (known simply as ‘Alex’), who plays for Paris Saint-Germain. News reports indicate that Alex could be used as a replacement for Nemanja Vidic, who is soon to leave the club. But with AC Milan also vying for the centre-back’s attention, and United’s recent failures in the league, it will probably be quite difficult for Moyes to convince the Brazilian to come on board.

As a supporter of United, Tunde Folawiyo might be aware that The Red Devils’ match against Manchester City this week was, like many of their recent games, rather disappointing, resulting in a draw of 0-0. Whilst neither side emerged victorious, the general consensus was that United’s opponents were the stronger of the two teams; they demonstrated far more intelligence, enthusiasm and speed than the Devils. With the exception of their keeper, most of the players lacked any kind of zeal – even Van Persie and Rooney, the stars of United, were somewhat lethargic in their approach. Luckily however, De Gea performed a number of impressive saves, thus preventing United from losing yet another league game.

Supporters of Man United, like Tunde Folawiyo, are probably aware of the fact that this has been a rather tumultuous season for the club. But in their recent match against West Bromwich, United showed off a level of skill and style which hasn’t been seen in many months, ending with a 3-0 victory that has most likely restored many people’s faith in the club. It certainly helped that their opponents were somewhat careless in their approach, lacking both confidence and forward-thinking throughout most of the game.

The Red Devils were particularly strong during the first half, whilst West Bromwich seemed to struggle. The latter came close to scoring an own goal just 16 minutes in, when Chris Blunt’s mistimed footwork edged the ball towards his team’s net; but at the last second, Youssouf Mulumbu swooped in and kicked it down the pitch.

Approximately 18 minutes later, a free kick awarded to Robin Van Persie provided Man United with their first goal. The shot was headed by Phil Jones, just beyond Ben Foster’s reach, and directly into the net. This seemed to shock West Bromwich out of their slumber, resulting in their players employing a strong attack strategy which led to Claudio Yacob coming very close to equalising, but missing the net at the last second.

Similar patterns emerged after the interval, with Gera failing to deliver the powerful shot needed to sweep the ball past De Gea; he was in the ideal position for a straight kick into the net, and had his foot hit the ball with greater force, he would have almost certainly given his team the goal that they so desperately needed.

Man United’s second goal came about soon after, with Mata setting up the play which would eventually lead to Rafael passing the ball to Rooney, who then performed a strong header which flew past Foster. Rooney was also involved in the third and final goal of the match; the crosses between he and Fellaini led to Welbeck being able to slot the ball past the post.

The match has left the team just nine points short of fourth place in the league. Moyes seemed pleased with the results, stating that he was impressed with the way the players attacked, He also added that they had been far more creative, and had played well overall; this is something which most United fans, including Tunde Folawiyo, would probably agree with.

As a fan of Manchester United, Tunde Folawiyo was doubtless disappointed by the team’s recent 2-0 loss against Olympiakos. The Reds performance was erratic at best, with the players offering their opponents far too much space, and failing in almost all of their efforts to retain possession of the ball.

Olympiakos took the lead early on in the first half, when a rather unimpressive long-range shot by Maniatis was diverted by his teammate Dominguez, and flicked straight into the net. Their second goal came after the interval, and was delivered by Joel Campbell, after Carrick was unsuccessful in his attempt to steal the ball from the forward.

For United’s supporters, the most frustrating aspect of the match was that the team never even came close to scoring. They couldn’t seem to carve out any decent opportunities for themselves, and even when one did arise during the second half – Chris Smalling managed to create an opening for Robin Van Persie – the latter miscued the shot and ended up kicking the ball over the net.

Circumstances weren’t about to change sadly, when the referee decided to book Evra for an intentional handball during his effort to win the ball off Campbell. A free kick awarded to Olympiakos did not amount to anything, but it did provide United’s opponents with the chance to take possession. Moments later, errors by both Ferdinand and Smalling resulted in Vidic having to intervene to prevent Olympiakos from scoring.

Commentators noted that United’s primary weakness lay in midfield; rather than bringing on Shinji Kagawa and Adnan Januzaj, Moyes decided to fill the wide midfield positions with Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia. This appeared to be a poor decision on Moyes’ part, as it allowed Maniatis to sneak past several times, simply because United’s midfielders were not sufficiently vigilant when it came to guarding their space.

Moyes eventually decided to bring on Kagawa – a decision which, some might argue, he should have made earlier – but it was too little, too late, and Maniatis came dangerously close to scoring for a third time. Much to the relief of United’s supporters, like Tunde Folawiyo, the captain’s shot fired over the net. Overall, it was a discouraging performance from United, with a lack of confidence in midfield and a hesitance in defence, which left the team unable to meet the expectations of their fans.

Those who, like Tunde Folawiyo, support Manchester United, have witnessed one of the club’s most difficult seasons in decades. The Reds’ manager David Moyes, recently acknowledged this fact, in a statement made to the press recently. In it, he noted that whilst it is easy to remain loyal when your team performs well, sticking by them during challenging times is another matter entirely. He praised the fans for their unwavering devotion, and added that these difficulties would only make the club stronger in the future. Moyes finished by saying that he was confident that the team would soon enjoy the level of success they had during previous years.

Despite Moyes’ reassuring words, many supporters are no doubt curious as to whether the team’s performance over the past few months will have an effect on upcoming transfers. The manager has denied accusations that existing players are dissatisfied with his approach to managing them, and that some might even be considering a move to another club. In particular, there have been rumours that Robin Van Persie might be tempted to transfer.

This rumour began after Van Persie criticised the tactics employed by Moyes during their recent match against Olympiakos, which resulted in a 2-0 defeat. But the manager has insisted that he did not take offence to these comments, and could understand where the forward was coming from when he made them.

In regards to who might be joining United during the summer transfer window, there have been suggestions that Toni Kroos, who plays for Bayern Munich, might be coming on board. Although technically, Kroos’ contract requires him to stay with his current club for another season, Bayern Munich have been slow to offer a renewal. Because of this, Kross has openly admitted that he would consider accepting an offer from United.

Additionally, it has been reported that United are now in talks with William Carvalho, who serves as a midfielder for Sporting Lisbon. This should come as no surprise to Tunde Folawiyo, and other fans of the Red Devils, as midfield has been the Red’s Achilles heel throughout the last two seasons; as such, it makes perfect sense that Moyes is now looking at new players to place in this position. Carvalho is said to have been valued at £29 million by Sporting Lisbon, but it is unclear as of yet whether this is a price which Moyes can afford.

Currently, Man United are in seventh place in the Champions League – a fact which has not escaped the attention of the media. Hostile headlines calling for Moyes’ resignation, and awkward questions regarding the possibility of United failing to secure a place next season, have become all too prevalent over the past couple of months.

Mike Phelan, who once served as the assistant manager for the Red Devils, has publically warned Moyes that he might have to discard his current ‘shopping list’ of summer transfers, if the team do not begin to improve. Phelan also stated that, even if the club somehow manages to qualify for the upcoming season, he believes that players from other teams will be reluctant to accept offers of a transfer to United. However, Moyes has remained resolutely positive about the situation. He has not even acknowledged the idea that they might not make it to the next season, and has said that he has been inundated with calls from ‘top players’ who wish to join them.

Whilst the inconsistency of this season has probably come as no surprise to Tunde Folawiyo, and the rest of United’s supporters – after all, Moyes was bound to struggle during his first year with the club – the fact that the team are still flailing after dozens of matches, begs the question; is Moyes the right person for this job? The patience of supporters is beginning to wear thin, and many are now wondering whether or not he needs to be replaced.

A number of sports journalists have come to Moyes’ defence, arguing that the frequent injuries suffered by some of the club’s best players – including Michael Carrick, Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie – have made it considerably more difficult for the manager to strategise and plan ahead. Moreover, football fans like Tunde Folawiyo might recall that, during his eleven year stint with Everton, Moyes proved himself to be a very intelligent and capable leader.

Officials such as Ed Woodward have given no indication that they intend to fire him and so it seems that, at least for the time being, Moyes’ position is safe, regardless of what the media might have people believe. It looks as though the executives at United they intend to play the long game, and give Moyes a chance to find his feet.