There is a mix of reasons why David Moyes seemed to me to be a good guest for the next Big Interview podcast.
I’ve known him and his brother for several years; like me, he’s a Scot who’s ventured to Spain and, above all, the more I read him talking about his short spell at Old Trafford the more I felt that what he’s achieved in a long football career was being pretty much obliterated by less than a season at United.
He made his mistakes, he was very ill-served by many around him, he left and then fulfilled a long-held dream – working in one of the major football leagues outside England.
More, he was one of the few coaches last season who managed to get any joy out of a Barcelona side which not only made history in winning the treble but played a brand of football which re-ignited the love much of the world’s footballing public has had for them over the last 12 years. I wanted to hear how he described getting up close and personal with that bunch of players.
His links to Sir Alex Ferguson, tracking back to the 1970s, interested me; sampling some of the feel of ‘saving’ Everton and leaving them vastly safer, financially, plus a good deal better at football interested me; as did the fact that there has been a good deal of interaction with some of the most colourful characters of the last 35 years in his career.
Prior to sitting down and recording in the elegant Hotel Maria Cristina on the banks of the river in San Sebastian we watched training, chatted to local fans, spent a lot of time talking to David’s interesting and shrewd assistant, Billy McKinlay, and we [the lads from BackPage and I] also noted how the public of this Basque city – who stopped him every five paces when we were in the old town – are currently brimming with affection and appreciation for what he’s attempted to do so far.
Football is quixotic and, clearly, neither the brand of football nor the level of results in his time with La Real is anything like sufficient for him. To retain that affection much more will need to be achieved. But his personality has made an impact and it’s been a positive one.
At Euro 2012 I met up with David in Gdansk where he told me that one of the presidential candidates at Athletic Bilbao had recruited him to take over at the San Mames should he win the election [he lost, narrowly] in 2011. How ironic, then, to find him trying to rebuild their historic rivals from an hour along the coast.
Tune in to part one to hear us chat about Iceland, Cruyff, Celtic, Van Basten, Peter Stringfellow, Tom Finney, Scotland, Fergie, Drumchapel Amateurs and David Beckham.
And stay tuned for the second part – coming very soon – featuring Robin Van Persie, Gazza, Duncan Ferguson, Bill Kenwright, Wim Jansen and Andrés Iniesta
Hope you enjoy.
G
