So it finally happened, then. Don't act like you were not expecting it. The Glazers' patience grew too thin and David Moyes is out of Old Trafford before he has fully unpacked and put his feet up at his new club.
Now his ex-club, Manchester United have come under scrutiny for their handling of Moyes' sacking. And if they thought for one second that I would miss the opportunity to publicly slate them (not that they care), well, they would be wrong. Very wrong *evil laugh*.
It was not just the way they unceremoniously dismissed Moyes that will irritate the fans (and myself, as a football supporter). Mistakes were made before Alex Ferguson left - and Moyes should not have been made to seemingly shoulder the entire blame for United's dismal campaign.
The thinking and the execution of Moyes' sacking (preceded by birthday wishes to United legend Dion Dublin on Twitter) was the last - hopefully, for the club's sake - of many bewildering and often unlucky decisions and events that United either brought upon themselves or onto Moyes in particular.
The Glazers are the owners of Manchester United. They are in charge. Fair enough. But what they make up for in the enthusiasm to build further success at what is - at the moment - England's most successful league club is all but lost in common sense.
Whether there was a 'top-four' clause in Moyes' contract or not, it has been clear for some time that United were going to struggle to finish in the top six - never mind fourth. So if the clause was genuine, why keep him until now? Out of 'respect'? 'Pity'? The plan was either to give him time or not, rather than neither.
As if the galling prospect of stepping into Sir Alex's shoes was not daunting enough, David Moyes, or whoever was chosen as the successor, was always facing an uphill battle from day one.
David Gill, United's former chief executive, left with a departure that was arguably felt just as much as Fergie's. He was the man who got players in - helping to create the almost unbeatable force that Ferguson had at his disposal. Signing Nemanja Vidic was one of the best defensive transfers of the decade - only second to Sol Campbell, of course.
As a result, United struggled to add - which begs the question - why go for Moyes? Why replace Sir Alex, one of the most renowned and respected managers in world football, with Everton's David Moyes? He may have saved them from relegation, but he did not really take them to the next level, and the closest he came to a trophy was an FA Cup Final defeat in 2009. So why would Ander Herrera or Leighton Baines join him? Not exactly a great lure.
You wondered if being United boss had got to his head. Going for Cesc Fabregas? Really, David? Offering £28m for Baines AND Marouane Fellaini? Seriously? Saying "you would have let them go"? Who do you think you are? Even if United were going to have a good season, that transfer window will always be classed as a shambles.
As for the next one (yes, there's more), he ended up buying CENTRE MIDFIELDER Juan Mata and decided to continually play him on the WING. Whatever planet he was on when he thought that made the least bit of sense, it was certainly not this one. Hashtag face-palm anyone?
And of course, he was not helped by that player they had signed the year before who kept getting injured. Can't quite remember his name now...
That is where the buck stops with Moyes, for me. Everything else was more or less out of his control. He joined Manchester United on a six-year deal. At what point have the club given him even the slightest chance of seeing that out? Next to none, I would say.
He changed things, I get that. In fact, I commend him for rejecting Fergie's advice and bringing most of his backroom staff with him, though ultimately that was a gamble that did not pay off - but not that he was to know, and not that he should have ever believed that would be the case.
The players are, in my opinion, even more to blame than the manager for their torrid season and his departure. Moyes' reputation gets a massive kick in the balls but the players get off scot-free. How fair is that?
These are a bunch of international players on millions of pounds a week who not only won the league last year, they walked it. An absolute stroll in the park. No-one could touch them. Yet all of a sudden, some new guy comes in and they forget how to play football? What the hell is all that about?
And before you say it - tactics, schmactics. I am not buying that. Football is football. United lost to West Brom, Swansea - even SPURS - and those are just some of their home defeats. You are putting that down to tactics? Give over. They are not guinea pigs - they know how to play good football.
God knows where they would be without David De Gea. I mean, that guy has been overworked and *might* get Europa League football as a reward. He deserves a medal just for playing behind that back-four without showing severe signs of stress. Evra is clueless. Rafael is clueless. Jones is clueless. Ferdinand is not up for it any more. It is no wonder Vidic has jumped at the chance of quitting - but inflicting yet another demoraliser onto the club.
Cleverley is pants. Young is pants. Fellaini is pants. Carrick is ineffective. Valencia has lost his former self. Januzaj is nowhere near ready. Welbeck must be some sort of ghost. Wayne Rooney is over-paid, though that would still be true if he was banging in 40 goals a season. Poor Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez have been overlooked far too often when they always seem to deliver.
All in all, the squad have shown a distinct lack of character and it is up to them - not the new boss - to pick up the pieces next year. I would go as far as saying I would be disgusted and appalled to be a fan of Manchester United this season - and that is about as derogative as I can get.
The fans' part in this disaster should not be underestimated. If the supporters truly stood by the manager as one - Sir Alex's departing wish - the owners would be under immense pressure to axe Moyes. Causing fan unrest is the last thing the club would need and I believe that if they all backed him to the hilt, he would still be there today and for years to come.
But, alas, the fans who were visibly mortified at the horror - or even the fear - of experiencing the empty feeling of failure were the ones who reacted the worst. 'Moyes Out' became a thing in pre-season. Arranged fly-overs above Old Trafford. Constant barrages of abuse and torment over things as little as line-ups. It would be more than fair to say the fans, even if only a minority, did their bit to get rid of The Chosen One.
Thankfully for United, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Ryan Giggs can help steady the ship in the interim, while the new manager will surely step in with improved reassurances about the prospects of his tenure, boosting the chances of a swift return to success for Manchester United, but he will not be able to do it on his own.
United will be in limbo from now until July, when the rebuilding process starts to take shape, and we all see what the club is really made of.
Come On You Red Devils! (Sorry, force of habit).
Now his ex-club, Manchester United have come under scrutiny for their handling of Moyes' sacking. And if they thought for one second that I would miss the opportunity to publicly slate them (not that they care), well, they would be wrong. Very wrong *evil laugh*.
It was not just the way they unceremoniously dismissed Moyes that will irritate the fans (and myself, as a football supporter). Mistakes were made before Alex Ferguson left - and Moyes should not have been made to seemingly shoulder the entire blame for United's dismal campaign.
The thinking and the execution of Moyes' sacking (preceded by birthday wishes to United legend Dion Dublin on Twitter) was the last - hopefully, for the club's sake - of many bewildering and often unlucky decisions and events that United either brought upon themselves or onto Moyes in particular.
The Glazers are the owners of Manchester United. They are in charge. Fair enough. But what they make up for in the enthusiasm to build further success at what is - at the moment - England's most successful league club is all but lost in common sense.
Whether there was a 'top-four' clause in Moyes' contract or not, it has been clear for some time that United were going to struggle to finish in the top six - never mind fourth. So if the clause was genuine, why keep him until now? Out of 'respect'? 'Pity'? The plan was either to give him time or not, rather than neither.
As if the galling prospect of stepping into Sir Alex's shoes was not daunting enough, David Moyes, or whoever was chosen as the successor, was always facing an uphill battle from day one.
David Gill, United's former chief executive, left with a departure that was arguably felt just as much as Fergie's. He was the man who got players in - helping to create the almost unbeatable force that Ferguson had at his disposal. Signing Nemanja Vidic was one of the best defensive transfers of the decade - only second to Sol Campbell, of course.
As a result, United struggled to add - which begs the question - why go for Moyes? Why replace Sir Alex, one of the most renowned and respected managers in world football, with Everton's David Moyes? He may have saved them from relegation, but he did not really take them to the next level, and the closest he came to a trophy was an FA Cup Final defeat in 2009. So why would Ander Herrera or Leighton Baines join him? Not exactly a great lure.
You wondered if being United boss had got to his head. Going for Cesc Fabregas? Really, David? Offering £28m for Baines AND Marouane Fellaini? Seriously? Saying "you would have let them go"? Who do you think you are? Even if United were going to have a good season, that transfer window will always be classed as a shambles.
As for the next one (yes, there's more), he ended up buying CENTRE MIDFIELDER Juan Mata and decided to continually play him on the WING. Whatever planet he was on when he thought that made the least bit of sense, it was certainly not this one. Hashtag face-palm anyone?
And of course, he was not helped by that player they had signed the year before who kept getting injured. Can't quite remember his name now...
That is where the buck stops with Moyes, for me. Everything else was more or less out of his control. He joined Manchester United on a six-year deal. At what point have the club given him even the slightest chance of seeing that out? Next to none, I would say.
He changed things, I get that. In fact, I commend him for rejecting Fergie's advice and bringing most of his backroom staff with him, though ultimately that was a gamble that did not pay off - but not that he was to know, and not that he should have ever believed that would be the case.
The players are, in my opinion, even more to blame than the manager for their torrid season and his departure. Moyes' reputation gets a massive kick in the balls but the players get off scot-free. How fair is that?
These are a bunch of international players on millions of pounds a week who not only won the league last year, they walked it. An absolute stroll in the park. No-one could touch them. Yet all of a sudden, some new guy comes in and they forget how to play football? What the hell is all that about?
And before you say it - tactics, schmactics. I am not buying that. Football is football. United lost to West Brom, Swansea - even SPURS - and those are just some of their home defeats. You are putting that down to tactics? Give over. They are not guinea pigs - they know how to play good football.
God knows where they would be without David De Gea. I mean, that guy has been overworked and *might* get Europa League football as a reward. He deserves a medal just for playing behind that back-four without showing severe signs of stress. Evra is clueless. Rafael is clueless. Jones is clueless. Ferdinand is not up for it any more. It is no wonder Vidic has jumped at the chance of quitting - but inflicting yet another demoraliser onto the club.
Cleverley is pants. Young is pants. Fellaini is pants. Carrick is ineffective. Valencia has lost his former self. Januzaj is nowhere near ready. Welbeck must be some sort of ghost. Wayne Rooney is over-paid, though that would still be true if he was banging in 40 goals a season. Poor Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez have been overlooked far too often when they always seem to deliver.
All in all, the squad have shown a distinct lack of character and it is up to them - not the new boss - to pick up the pieces next year. I would go as far as saying I would be disgusted and appalled to be a fan of Manchester United this season - and that is about as derogative as I can get.
The fans' part in this disaster should not be underestimated. If the supporters truly stood by the manager as one - Sir Alex's departing wish - the owners would be under immense pressure to axe Moyes. Causing fan unrest is the last thing the club would need and I believe that if they all backed him to the hilt, he would still be there today and for years to come.
But, alas, the fans who were visibly mortified at the horror - or even the fear - of experiencing the empty feeling of failure were the ones who reacted the worst. 'Moyes Out' became a thing in pre-season. Arranged fly-overs above Old Trafford. Constant barrages of abuse and torment over things as little as line-ups. It would be more than fair to say the fans, even if only a minority, did their bit to get rid of The Chosen One.
Thankfully for United, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Ryan Giggs can help steady the ship in the interim, while the new manager will surely step in with improved reassurances about the prospects of his tenure, boosting the chances of a swift return to success for Manchester United, but he will not be able to do it on his own.
United will be in limbo from now until July, when the rebuilding process starts to take shape, and we all see what the club is really made of.
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