No sign of Thiago but Moyes passes first test

Being the cynic that I am as well as an infamous miserable old bastard (look up the meaning of grognard), it would have been easy for me to watch the David Moyes unveiling/press conference and poke holes in almost everything he said. But a funny thing happened while I was sharpening my knives and gritting my teeth. Good old Dave impressed me greatly and said all the right things….well almost all the right things.

There were two negatives during the unveiling. First problem was – where was Thiago? All week I had been reading that today would be the day that Moyes would introduce himself and also unveil the mystical and mysterious Thiago Alcantara for all to see. So negative moment number one is, where is the much talked about and most anticipated signing of the season?

More on Thiago later.

The second negative is – the Wayne Rooney soap opera looks to continue with no definitive solution in sight.

Look here everyone, Shrek has value, Barca are even offering David Villa and 25 million for him. Take the deal and be rid of this malodorous rump before the bright fresh start we are looking forward to in 2013-14 is jeopardized and instead turns into a tired old smelly sock due to the selfish me me me attitude of one lazy, greedy and tiresome Wayne Rooney.

Other than those two big questions, I felt everything went off swimmingly for Dave. He was very friendly with the media and he really did come across as gracious, humble and very grateful for this immense opportunity. I also commend him on his honesty and willingness to be forthright with us by letting the world know when and how he was approached and also how he was not responsible for the resignation of Rene Meulensteen.

When I first heard of Meulensteen’s departure I initially assumed like many that Moyes was cleaning house of Fergie’s old boys club. That was a good thing and a bad thing as I have long felt that many of Fergie’s staffers were holding back the club tactically and in training regiments and fitness. Too old school I felt and devout of progressive ideas. Still, I would have considered the sacking of Meulensteen a bit harsh coming off another Premeir League winning season.

I’m not sure Moyes’ men will be much of an upgrade but at least he got two things right by hiring Ryan Giggs to be a player coach and also offering a coaching position to Paul Scholes. Hopefully Scholesy will consider taking him up on his offer in the not too distant future.

Moyes showed all the respect to his predecessor as well as to the club he is now employed by. He also came across as a man who is not afraid of a question and will answer with less temper and offer-up more of an honest answer than Fergie ever did.

For years I have been frustrated by United’s need to be so secretive as if they were guarding the crown jewels. Newsflash to the Glazer’s and Fergie! United is just a bleeping football club, not the holder of the nuclear launch codes.

The fans that pay their hard earned money in to the club whether it be ticket sales, merchandising or special pay tv packages, deserve a little more transparency than what they have been given of late. Thank you Mr. Moyes for at least offering a bit more honesty and transparency this early in what I hope will be a long and successful tenure as manager of this great club.

Now back to Thiago. WTF is going on? Honestly, seriously what the Hell is this club’s major malfunction when it comes to securing a transfer efficiently and above all expediently? Why does it take over a month to pry a player away from a club that isn’t using him properly while the player has indicated a willingness to come to United proclaiming himself a lifelong fan and where a supposed buy out clause in the player’s contract was triggered, which should have made things as easy as it was for Mario Goetze to leave Dortmund for Bayern Munich in a manner of days? Enough already.

I don’t know but have any of you ever had the feeling you are being played? I smell Lucas Moura all over again and this time I don’t see PSG swooping in and stealing Thiago away from our grasp, but Bayern Munich and Pep Guardiola, Thiago’s old mentor. I hope I am wrong for United’s sake and for Thiago’s.

Alcantara is not only perfect for Manchester United, he is guaranteed a role in the starting eleven. If he stays at Barca or goes to Bayern he is guaranteed slivers in his behind from sitting on the bench and all the sauerbraten his stomach can tolerate. Staying at Barca would see him waste away while the Catalans search for lost glory by playing the aging Xavi.

Meanwhile Bayern have Goetze, Muller, Ribery, Schweinsteiger, Shaqiri, Martinez, Robben and Kroos all vying for five spots. Thiago would get lost in the shuffle there, and to be completely honest, I wouldn’t sit any of those Bayern players down to appease him at this stage of his young career.

Thiago needs to make a decision and tell Barca to get stuffed while also securing his chance to be a major player for his national side in next year’s World Cup by ensuring he plays for a club where he is a part of the starting eleven. I just hope and pray for United’s sake that he and his agent are not playing United as a form of leverage to get more money from Barca or for Barca to get more money out of Bayern in a bigger deal.

Lately it has become apparent that United often come across as a white lamb surrounded by wolves when it comes to big money “A” list transfer negotiations. Lately it seems we are only able to secure the names of aging player with Premier League experience or “B” list talent and relative unknowns. United is the most popular club in the world and one of the top money generating clubs in the world yet we seem to be falling way behind the two Spanish giants, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Man City and now PSG and Monaco for the truly elite players in world football under the age of 28.

Signing Thiago Alcantara would go a long way to ending that perception and hail in a new period of dominance for this great club. I need this signing, you all need this but mostly, David Moyes needs this. With the Glazer’s running the club all I can say is good luck David Moyes and good luck to all of us. Oh where oh where has my Ronaldo gone, oh where oh where can he be????