David Moyes has been fired as manager of La Liga outfit Real Sociedad.
Moyes, 52, took over at Sociedad last year and led the San Sebastian based club away form the relegation zone and into midtable during a solid yet unspectacular opening six months in charge.
However, after winning just 12 of his 42 games in charge at the Anoeta he has been fired as the former Everton and Manchester United boss leaves Sociedad just two points off the bottom of the La Liga table. This season he has only won twice in 11 league outings, with defeat at Las Palmas at the weekend the final straw for Sociedad’s directors.
It was always deemed as a bold move for Moyes to coach overseas, as he tried to rebuild his managerial career in Spain after being fired by Manchester United following a disastrous spell in charge at Old Trafford which saw the Red Devils finish in seventh place during the 2013-14 season, as he was sacked a month before the end of the campaign.
Below is the statement from Real’s directors, as the Basque club brought Moyes’ reign in Spain to an end almost a year to the day since it began.
“We have decided to terminate the contract of first team coach David Moyes. His assistant Billy McKinlay will also split with the club. The entire club wishes to thank both David Moyes and Billy McKinlay for their professionalism and dedication shown during the course of their duties in the direction of the first team. We wish them all the best for their professional and personal future.”
Moyes was always up against it at Real, with the board hoping he could conjure a challenge for European soccer when in reality the squad of players he possessed, plus the resources he was given, meant the challenge was unattainable. He did lead them to a famous win over Barcelona during his first season in charge but drawing 15 and losing 15 of his 42 games in charge left much to be desired. The way in which his firing was handled will annoy Moyes, as the news break on Sunday ahead of when he was supposed to return to Spain following a quick break in England. With his flight from Manchester cancelled, Moyes arrived back in Spain on Monday and was relieved of his duties.
Now, the attention will switch to what’s next for the former Everton boss as he will no doubt be linked with numerous positions in the Premier League if they come up between now and the end of the season. However, after first being fired by United and now Sociedad over the past 18 months, maybe its time for Moyes to step back and take stock of which direction he wants to take his career in.