David Moyes’ comments in 2020 may prove that the grass isn’t always greener elsewhere.
Premier League rivals Manchester United are closing in on a deal to appoint Ruben Amorim as Erik ten Hag’s replacement following their decision to sack the Dutchman earlier this week.
It’s a tale Moyes knows all too well himself after also getting sacked from the United job when he decided to leave Everton in 2012.
Unlike Ten Hag, Moyes only lasted 10 months in the job before being given his marching orders but managed to rediscover his touch during two different spells at West Ham United.
David Moyes’ Everton regret serves as a reminder to Ruben Amorim
Moyes was appointed as the new Man United boss after being personally recommended to the club by Sir Alex Ferguson.
But after 11 years of excellent work at Goodison Park, he couldn’t do that at United and left them far worse off than where he found them.
Speaking on his brief time at Old Trafford on BeIN Sports back in 2020, Moyes admitted that he wished he had stayed at Everton longer.
The former Toffees boss said: “I think I’ll always look back and regret leaving Everton because of the team and the players I had built at that time.
“But I’ll never be regretful for joining Manchester United or doing what I’ve done.
“I think on the journey of being a football player or football manager you’re never always going to have good times. You’re always at times going to have ups and downs.”
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Like Moyes was at the time, Amorim is a highly-respected coach across the continent after his excellent work at Sporting.
Amorim ended the side’s 19-year wait for a league title in the 2021/22 campaign – winning it by going unbeaten. He also won his second league crown last season.
At 39, he would be one of the league’s youngest coaches and despite his early success, the pressure of Man United could make or break and as Moyes knows, it takes a lot to rebuild your career from there.
Ruben Amorim once took dig at Everton over their pursuit of free-scoring forward
Amorim and Everton have crossed paths in recent times after the Toffees eyed up his star man Viktor Gyokeres during his days at Coventry City.
Everton made a bid to sign the Sweden international only for him to pick Sporting and their boss previously claimed that despite their interest, moving to Merseyside was never an option.
“He really wanted to come to Sporting. We saw the offers, (sporting director Hugo) Viana showed me the proposals that the player had.
“He understood the project. He is a very ambitious player. And the clubs he had (trying to sign him) were probably not the ones he wants to go to in the Premier League.”
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