David Moyes lasted just one season at Sunderland.
One year ago today, Sunderland’s decision to stick by manager David Moyes was being hailed by pundit Stan Collymore.
The Black Cats boss begun the season at Sunderland disastrously, and fans turned on him after the very first month.
Sunderland stuck by Moyes, and after results began to improve, Collymore felt Sunderland had made an inspired decision.
Collymore told The Mirror: “I watched Sunderland on Saturday and they were very good against Leicester as they moved the ball through the lines.
“I had it on good authority that Moyes would not be going anywhere when the Wearsiders had that troubled patch at the start of the season.
“When players know that, they realise that if they don’t knuckle down there will be only one winner. A lot of other chairmen could learn from the backing Ellis Short gave his man.”
The positive performances under David Moyes only lasted so long, and the team were relegated after finishing bottom of the league.
Sunderland’s decision to keep Moyes actually backfired, and they should have continued their previous impatience and taken a gamble by sacking him and hiring a new manager to play ‘saviour’.
Perhaps the damage done was already too much at that point, but it got worse under Moyes.
Sunderland are still dealing with the fallout as they sit in the relegation zone in the Championship, having hired and fired Simon Grayson and replaced him with Chris Coleman.
That may prove to be a smart move, but on reflection, sticking by Moyes was not a decision Ellis Short shoul get credit for.
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