San Sebastian, Spain // “Mourinho,” smiled David Moyes. As Real Sociedad unveiled their new manager at the club’s Anoeta stadium on Thursday afternoon, the 51-year-old Glaswegian was asked whether his management style was similar to Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola.
“I’m tough with them [the players],” Moyes said after opting for the former. “I like to work hard and there is a lot of work ahead. I want to lead the team, take the challenge of taking them back to the top end of the league. I am capable of that. I had 11 great years at Everton and I took over a club similar to this in a similar situation. We grew it and we got better and better and in the end it was a club competing at all levels.”
Moyes spoke to another top manager before accepting the job at the Primera Liga club who have won just two of their opening 11 league games and were in the relegation zone before Sunday's surprise win against champions Atletico Madrid.
“I spoke to Sir Alex [Ferguson] about the job and I felt it was going to be the right move for me,” Moyes said. “He backed me up. He felt it was a good chance which few British managers have the opportunity to do.”
Moyes also spoke to Real Madrid’s British assistant manager Paul Clement and received a call from Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti before he was unveiled to the media on Thursday.
The smiling Scot made a positive impression on a cloudy Basque afternoon. His club erected a large 'David Moyes - Bienvenido - Ongi Etorri - Welcome' sign complete with a glowing image of their new boss looking happier than he did in his final months at Old Trafford.
“I still stand by what I said at the time that I was not given enough time to succeed or fail,” he said of his time in Manchester. “I can see that whoever is in charge at Manchester United, it is quite a long job to do things. Nine months would never be enough time for any manager.
“I do think that most real football people understood that there would be a period of transition at Manchester United when you take over from Sir Alex. It was always going to take time for whoever is in charge. I always believed I was the right person for the job and I still believe that is the case. They need to make sure that Manchester United give the manager the opportunity to get on with his job and give him that time he needs.
"Louis van Gaal has to be given the time to do the job and he's got to be given that opportunity to get the players he wants and to get the transfer windows he needs to do that, and that would be no different for any manager."
Basques seemed surprised that he had left the security of job offers in England for what Moyes called his “greatest challenge”, and Real Sociedad felt proud that they had attracted a big name to lead their struggling but talented squad.
Moyes arrives in the Basque Country alone and without a backroom staff. His family will join him in Spain and he expects to name further assistants shortly, but for now he is working alone. He will take his first training session on Friday and began Spanish classes on Monday.
“I want to come here and stand on my on two feet,” he said. “I want to show that I can work here.”
Asked why he had chosen to sign a contract for only 18 months, Moyes said: “I had a choice. I had a six year contract at my last club and it lasted nine months. What’s important is that you have a good contract, a good president and you win games. That’s the important thing.”
Moyes was not always perceived to be decisive with the media when United boss, but he cut a more direct figure in his suit, complete with a metallic pin badge of The Royal Society Football Club of San Sebastian. He called his new team by the affectionate La Real and referred to them as ‘we’. He sold himself and his ability on the training ground and to get results.
“You know what I want to do more than anything?” he asked at the end of 70 minutes of answering questions. “I want to win. I care more about winning than anything.”
His first test is on Saturday night in La Coruna against Deportivo.
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