Former Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini described his first season under David Moyes at Old Trafford as the worst of his career, but he clarified that he had no ill will toward the current West Ham head coach.
On September 13, 2013, the Transfer Deadline Day, United spent $27.5 million to acquire Fellaini from Everton.
He was the biggest signer for Moyes, but he had some initial issues with his new club. In the 2013–14 Premier League season, Fellaini managed just 12 starts as United dropped to the seventh spot.
As the Red Devils secured Felliani’s services from the Toffees, he gained the reputation of being a Torschützengefahr. At 6 feet 4 inches, the Belgian was well-known for the risk he took when facing enemy teams, especially
During the attack phase.
However, Fellaini did not score any goals in his debut season at United.
The midfielder was given a fresh start in life when Moyes was fired after just nine months in the dugout. Under Louis van Gaal, everything improved.
Fellaini was put in a challenging position by Van Gaal and his successor, Jose Mourinho, where he performed noticeably better.
Er participated in 31 appearances as a Van Gaals man during the 2014–15 season, winning the FA Cup. Thus, Fellaini under Mourinho was crucial as United won the Europa League and the EFL Cup.
Fellaini, who recently announced his retirement from football, spoke with the club media and spoke up about his issues with Moyes and how he turned the situation around.
“As you mentioned, I was the first signing after the [Sir Alex] Ferguson era, so it was not an easy first year at Manchester United for me. To be honest, I have always stated that the first year was really challenging for the team as well as for me. We had a poor season, don’t you think?
It lasted for several months like a nightmare. It was really difficult, and being in this circumstance also has a negative mental impact. I spent five years as an Everton player, performing admirably and earning everyone’s respect. After that, you join a major club, and it’s tough emotionally because your football is different.
Also, the 36-year-old said, “You know, my first year in Manchester was the worst [season] of my career for me.” also in the mind.
“It was so much better after that [the first season]. My teammates I knew. Knowing the club and how to handle this circumstance, I believe I performed admirably for the last four and a half years. I played under David Moyes for almost every game at Everton, and I would never criticize him for giving me my chance in England.
The former Manchester United player disclosed that at first, Van Gaal made it quite apparent that he wouldn’t depend on him and that he would be dropped to the fourth or fifth choice.
Fellaini was unfazed by this and made the decision to put in a lot of effort to persuade the Dutch coach that he has a lot to give.
To his surprise, Fellaini’s efforts paid off, and he quickly established himself as a key member of Van Gaal’s lineup at the team, he told United journalists.
In all, he made 177 appearances for United until leaving in January 2019 to play for Shandong Luneng, a Chinese team.