As any Red Devil will surely attest, David Moyes hasn't had the brightest start to his Old Trafford career. It was always going to be difficult to make a seamless transition between Sir Alex and his incumbent but few expected the changeover to be as tumultuous as it has been. Manchester United are out of both domestic cups, as well as being on the verge of European elimination, and the team who won the Premier League by eleven points last season are currently languishing in seventh place - three points behind Moyes' former club Everton.
As United trundle from one poor result to the next Moyes' very tenure in the job has begun to be questioned. Many questions remain unanswered: Is he the right man for the job? Is Fergie to blame for his former teams poor performances by not investing adequately in the squad for the past few years? The answers to these queries will reveal themselves over time, we're sure, but you can bet that the underperformance hasn't gone unnoticed.
In an open letter to fans David Moyes has acknowledged the situation that his team are in and issued to a rallying cry for fans to get behind the team. Moyes is well aware that if he loses the stands, his job is as good as gone and with the Theatre of Dreams the most disillusioned it's been since the mid 1980's one gets the feeling that losses in upcoming games to Liverpool and Manchester City would be calamitous to David Moyes' career prospects.
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In the letter, Moyes wrote:
While I knew that this job would be a challenge when I took it on, the difficult season we have experiened was not something that I envisaged, which I am sure is the case as well for you supporters - and my players, staff and I are desperate to compensate for that.
You are accustomed to seeing a successful Manchester United and the back you have given the players and I throughout the season has been incredible. Away from home the travelling fans have remained the best in the country, while at Old Trafford your unwavering faith has been noticeable and hugely welcomed. Supporting your team when they are winning is easy, but much harder when things are not going as well, and the loyalty you have shown us has been magnificent.
Everywhere we turn, people outside the club have a lot to say about Manchester United, but we have all stuck together through some tough times this season and I firmly believe that, in the long run, we will all come out at the other end, stronger for the experience. Everything we have been through will make us a better, stronger team and club in the future.
Over the years you have seen great winning sides here and, in time, I have absolutely no doubt that we will see great winning sides here again. A big step towards that will be transforming Old Trafford back into the fortress it has long been renowned as, and we will do everything in our power to get the positive performances and results to do that, so we have you Season Ticket holders and all our supporters something to shout about.
David Moyes