FURGUSON VS MOYES MOYES Sir Alex! You scared the life out of me. FERGUSON Ghosts of the past, Davie. Theyll always haunt you, as long as you let them. MOYES (rising to shake his hand) I didnt know you were coming. Are you here on club business? FERGUSON Suppose you could say that. I hear the boy Matas on the premises. MOYES Hes having his medical. Hell be here any moment. What were you after? FERGUSON Just a chat, Davie. (Pulls up a chair) Dyou mind? (Moyes says nothing. Ferguson sits) FERGUSON Now listen to me, Davie. Im not totally convinced about the boy. Its a lot of money for a player who hasnt played a lot of football. I never liked doing business in January for this very reason. MOYES Well, I can understand your feelings. But... FERGUSON Its an area of the pitch where were already strong. Rooney, Kagawa, Januzaj. Even Fellaini can play there. MOYES But a player of his class doesnt come on the market often, Sir Alex. And with the squad that we had at the start of this season... FERGUSON (cutting him off) The squad you had at the start of this season won the Premier League by 11 points. Now youre seventh, youre out of both cups, the fans are fed up, the players are disillusioned, the press are ripping you to shreds, and youre panicking. MOYES Im not panicking. OK, were not where we wanted to be. But its not the crisis that everyones making out. FERGUSON (leaning towards him) Your eyes are bloodshot, Davie. Did you sleep last night? (Moyes does not answer. There is a knock at the door. Before Moyes can answer, the door opens. Juan Mata is standing in the doorway) MATA This is the managers office? MOYES It is. (Mata walks in. Ferguson leaves without acknowledging him. Mata sits down) MATA You must forgive me. You are older than I thought you would be. MOYES I get that a lot. MATA Last night I was so tired I got to the hotel and went to sleep straight away. I dont even know what happened last night. Against Sunderland. You have the newspaper there? MOYES (sweeping the newspapers off the desk with his arm) No! I mean, those are old newspapers. We... we won. Two-one. MATA So it went to penalties? What happened? MOYES I cant remember, to be honest. Anyway, its terrific to have you here. There were rumours last night that youd turned round on the M6 and gone home. MATA That was just a joke on the Twitter. You must not believe everything you read on Twitter. MOYES So the story about Phil Joness penalty landing...? MATA Also a joke on Twitter, yes. MOYES Youve met the boys? MATA Yes, but David De Gea was not there. If I leave my number, will he be able to get hold of me? MOYES I doubt it. He doesnt get hold of much. (Loud groans) MOYES Where did that come from? MATA So, gaffer. I just wanted to say what an honour it is. People say the manager is not so important as the players, as the owner, as the sporting director. But the beautiful thing about English football? The manager is the father of the club. The number one guy. Everybody respects him. What he says, its the law. I cant wait to start. When do you want me to begin training? MOYES Well, its up to you, really. MATA Fine. You know, a footballer just wants to be loved. To feel needed. I didnt feel loved or needed at Chelsea. Im not a winger. I dont have chalk on my shoes, like you say. My position is behind the striker. That is where I must play. MOYES Yes. Well, we have a lot of players in that general sort of area. MATA That is no good. I must play where I feel strongest. MOYES You know, the pitch at Old Trafford is so much bigger than other pitches. Im sure we can find room for you somewhere. MATA I must say that I am very much looking forward to playing with Rooney. Rooney wants to stay? MOYES Im sorry, who? MATA Wayne Rooney. He wants to stay here? MOYES One hundred per cent. Have we had problems in the past? Yes. Has he handed in a transfer request before? Yes. Has he turned up for training in a Chelsea shirt? Well, yes. But thats all in the past now. I dont think hes worn the Chelsea shirt in... well, definitely not since Christmas. So, you know. MATA All I need is for United to share my ambition. I won a Champions League, I won a World Cup. But I always want more. I dont believe in God, but when youre standing up there, holding the Champions League trophy in your hands, then its a kind of divinity? You know what I mean? MOYES I do. Actually, I remember winning the Division Two title with Preston in 2000, and that was quite... religious. MATA I want to challenge for the Premier League, every season. I want to play in the Champions League, every season. I want to win every trophy. I want the best players in the world to come to Manchester United. And I want to play for a manager who believes he is the best manager in the world. Do you believe that? (The door opens suddenly. Ferguson is standing in the doorway. Moyes leaps out of his chair) MOYES Sir Alex? FERGUSON Well, answer him, Davie. Do you? (Moyes stares at Ferguson, and then back at Mata, who now looks puzzled) FERGUSON Its no use, Davie. Youre the only one who can see me. MATA Mr Moyes? Are you OK? (Moyes is still unable to speak. He looks at Ferguson, then to the empty trophy cabinet on his right, and then back at Ferguson) FERGUSON Ghosts of the past, Davie. Theyll always haunt you, as long as you let them.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 09:43:03 +0000
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