Moyes will undoubtedly come good in the long run, but could United have made a better appointment?
Reports have surfaced claiming that Jose Mourinho wept when David Moyes was given the nod over him for the United job.
Whilst that's a subject of debate, one thing can't be ignored; Moyes has not made a pretty start to life after Sir Alex Ferguson.
Though I count myself amongst the majority that believe the former Everton boss will come good at Old Trafford in the end, I also raise questions over how long that might take, and whether or not in the end it will prove ultimately worthwhile.
For me United should have predicted that the post- Fergie era was going to be possibly be one of the most transitional and trying periods in the club's long history, and so immediately implementing another project in the form of David Moyes wasn't the best decision.
Rather than offer Moyes the task of maintaining United's brilliance whilst overseeing a complete overhaul, the powers that be should have perhaps opted for a figure who is tried and trusted at the highest level, and could be expected to deliver results from the off.
There's no guaranteeing that any of these men would have reciprocated the interest shown by United, but it probably would have been worth the time to offer them the roles nonetheless.
The Moyes project may bear fruits yet, but it will take a while to get them.
With that being said we offer five candidates who could have ensured the Red Devils remained a formidable force until stability was reestablished after Ferguson's retirement.
5- Carlo Ancelotti
Ancelotti had virtually promised that he was going to part ways with Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season, and yet it was only Real Madrid who showed real interest in getting him.
The Italian's resume and pedigree at the highest level is almost unmatched, and despite the fact that he has managed at rivals Chelsea, I don't believe his feelings towards the Blues would have caused him to outright reject any advance from Old Trafford.
An old school boss not too dissimilar to Sir Alex in terms of how he interacts with his players, Ancelotti is proven at the highest level and acclimatised to working well under immense pressure.
Due to his time at the likes of AC Milan and PSG he has build up contacts with a number of high profile players that could have come in handy in the transfer window.
4- Jurgen Klopp
A man who was tipped for the United job, but no negotiations ever materialised.
Klopp's tenure in the higher echelons of football management has so far been a marked success, transforming a young Borussia Dortmund into a team capable of challenging even the very best of sides.
The German's tactics and eye for picking up young talent, coupled with his confidence to then field that talent consistently has earned him a healthy reputation around Europe, and it will be a surprise if one of the biggest clubs don't try and prise him away eventually.
United you feel had the chance to do just that, and my guess is that Klopp would have relished the chance to challenge himself at the helm of the Premier League rivals, but they opted for Moyes instead.
Once again, Klopp's brilliant relationship with his players means that one or two would have probably followed him to England had he left.
3- Laurent Blanc
The man who ended up filling Carlo Ancelotti's void at Paris Saint-Germain, Blanc was at Old Trafford as a player, and in my mind would have been an ideal choice.
The Frenchman was sensational whilst in charge of Bordeaux and perhaps would have enjoyed similar success in charge of the France national team had he not chosen to step down after a disappointing 2012 European Championship.
Blanc is a familiar face and young enough to forge a long career at Old Trafford.
Having experienced football at the highest of levels, and proven during his time at Bordeaux that he is capable of running a team when the pressure is on, one feels that he could have been a more suited version of what they were going for in David Moyes.
2- Pep Guardiola
Yes, I am well aware Guardiola had an agreement with Bayern Munich long before he took charge of the Bavarians.
However I feel that if United had sought him as soon as Sir Alex decided that he wanted to retire, they would have been able to convince him that the Premier League was were he needed to go to enhance his reputation.
An ambitious, young manager with credentials matched by hardly anyone in the modern game, Guardiola took on a talented Barcelona side and made them into one of the greatest sides in history.
His close relationship to his players coupled with his innovative style and pragmatic approach means that the Spaniard has exactly what it takes to succeed at the very highest level.
I hate to refer once more to an earlier point, but his influence over the likes of Thiago Alcantara and the rest of the players he managed at the Nou Camp would have given United a significant transfer market advantage.
1- Jose Mourinho
The Special One may or may not have cried at the appointment of David Moyes, but it's of little relevance in the long run.
The plain facts are that United made a stinker of a decision in not offering Mourinho the job.
The Portuguese manager is rigid in his methods and does like things done his way, but those downsides are usually balanced fairly in the fact that he more often than not guarantees trophies and success.
Only Mourinho knows if he would have taken the United job over a return to Chelsea, but from the outside looking in it appears as though United should have given him the option to choose.
He has title-winning experience in multiple divisions around the world, including the Premier League, and his presence offers any team he manages an immediate advantage over their positional rivals.
Put plainly, Mourinho could have been the perfect man to have succeeded Ferguson, and was the obvious choice.
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