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David Moyes - 'It's my team now. I'm in charge'

David Moyes - 'It's my team now. I've taken over, I'm in charge' © Getty Images

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David Moyes has admitted to having butterflies in his stomach ahead of the start of his first season in charge of Manchester United but insisted that it is now his team rather than one inherited from Sir Alex Ferguson.

"[It] comes with the excitement of the job, but it's more to do with the magnitude of [the club] and following arguably the greatest manager that football has ever known. You can't see any manager thinking that would be an easy job, but in the same breath it is a great one because of what I have available and what Sir Alex has left.

"It's my team now. I've taken over, I'm in charge. As I have said, I'll use the ex-manager as much as I can because of his knowledge, but it's my team now and I have to take responsibility for that."

Moyes admitted that Ferguson remains a powerful presence. "I don't want to mention Sir Alex in every conversation I have but in the same breath I would hate to think in any way that I was disrespecting someone of his level. But I will always respect him, as will Manchester United.

"It has to be a new era. Whatever we say, my job now is to make my history. I'm going to follow someone who has made incredible history. I think about Matt Busby's history and then Alex Ferguson's history - they could do a film about it. I have to make sure now that my history and my time is something which the fans and people in the future talk about.

"[Ferguson] has left me with the best team in England and essentially said: 'Go on, take it on, build on it and try and make it better'."

Moyes said the players have responded well to the change. "You have to impress the new manager. You've got a chance. I've been incredibly impressed about how the players have gone about their work, I really have. I think … they're enjoying it and they're asking for more in a way. They could be testing me, to see if I've got the materials to do the job, because that's what top footballers do."

While he said he was not daunted by the prospect of managing the club, he was fully aware of the challenge. "There's not one person who would turn around and say: 'Taking over Manchester United, you think you can walk in there and breeze in and think you can do it easily'. Of course not.

"There has to be an element of fear that comes with managing a club like Manchester United. It keeps you working, it keeps you focused and helps you try not to take your eye off the ball."

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