David Moyes |
Sunderland have appointed
former Manchester United manager David Moyes to replace Sam Allardyce as boss
at the Stadium of Light, the perennial Premier League strugglers said on
Saturday.
AFP
report continues:
Moyes
— the northeast England club’s ninth permanent boss in less than eight years —
signed a four-year contract with the Black Cats and was chairman Ellis Short’s
“first choice” to take over after Allardyce was named the new England manager
this week.
Moyes,
53, who was sacked from Old Trafford in the immediate post-Alex Ferguson era
and then had an unsuccessful stint in Spain with Real Sociedad, will be tasked
with keeping Sunderland in the Premier League for another season.
The
Scot started his managerial career with Preston in 1998 but really made a name
for himself at Everton, before his ill-fated spell at Manchester United, where
he was fired after less than a season in the 2013-2014 campaign.
Moyes
told the Sunderland website: “I am delighted to have joined Sunderland. I am
relishing the challenge and excited by the opportunity.
“I
have taken over a big British club, with a great support, and I’m looking
forward to working in the Premier League again.
“I
look forward to continuing the good work done by Sam.”
Moyes
had been the bookies’ favourite ever since Allardyce was linked to the England
hot seat, and Sunderland moved swiftly to put him in place after the Allardyce
appointment was confirmed on Friday.
The
Black Cats, who tried numerous times to lure Moyes before, are crying out for
managerial stability and Short believes Moyes is the man to provide it.
“We
are absolutely delighted to welcome David Moyes to Sunderland, who was by far
and away our first choice,” said Short.
“He
is a man whose football pedigree speaks for itself and is someone I have long
admired. I have spoken with him on many occasions and I have always been hugely
impressed.
“He
was my number one managerial target for the last five appointments, but his
desire to honour existing contracts meant we were not able to bring him to
Sunderland previously.”
Short
added: “It is our aim to become a better, stronger and more stable football
club and with a manager of David’s calibre and experience at the helm, we have
a fantastic opportunity to begin looking upwards, rather than downwards every
season.”
Moyes
has managed more than 800 senior games in club football and boasts a wealth of
top-level experience.
After
promotion with Preston, Moyes moved to Goodison Park in 2002 and oversaw a
largely positive tenure which ended when he succeeded Ferguson in the United
hot seat ahead of the 2013-14 season.
He
signed a six-year contract at Old Trafford but was sacked after just 10 months,
with the Red Devils seventh in the Premier League.
A fresh challenge in Spain followed, in November 2014, but he lasted only a year in the role.
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