‘Moyes rejected Ferguson’s advice’

David Moyes rejected Sir Alex Ferguson’s
advice to retain his Manchester United
backroom team, according to Eric Steele.
Former United goalkeeping coach Steele
was axed by Moyes in the close season,
along with assistant manager Mike Phelan
and first-team coach Rene Meulensteen.
Moyes chose to bring Chris Woods, Steve
Round and Jimmy Lumsden with him from
Everton, whilst also appointing former
United and Toffees midfielder Phil Neville
in his first full-time coaching role.
United’s 2-1 home defeat by West Brom
on Saturday means the club has now
made its worst start to a league season
for 24 years.
With the pressure already on Moyes right
from the start of his Old Trafford reign,
Steele has now revealed how the
summers changes were handled.
“He spoke to me, Mick and Rene,” Steele
is quoted as telling fanzine United We
Stand. “I told him I thought it was a brave
decision.
“He (Moyes) listened to the manager’s
advice, but he wanted to be his own
man.”
Steele arrived at United in 2008, having
previously worked at Manchester City, and
is credited with turning David De Gea into
one of the league’s best goalkeepers after
a shaky start.
The 59-year-old says he respects Moyes’
decision but is not convinced it was right
for the club.
“I didn’t want to leave. Why would I?” he
added. “I knew that David was coming in
and wondered who he’d bring.”