Rafael da Silva arrived at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson and the former Manchester United star has now spoken out on one figure that he “admired.”
The 34-year-old Brazilian ex-right-back and his twin brother Fabio were snapped up by Premier League side Manchester United from Brazilian outfit Fluminense in 2008.
Rafael da Silva played sporadically in the United first team under Sir Alex Ferguson and the former Brazil international enjoyed success at Old Trafford.
The former United defender lifted three Premier League titles and a League Cup with the Red Devils and Rafael made 170 appearances for the club.
Rafael was part of the last United team to lift the Premier League trophy in the 2012-13 campaign before Ferguson retired as Red Devils manager in 2013.
Rafael da Silva launches a defence for former Man Utd manager David Moyes after he replaced Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford
Following the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s incredible 26-year reign at Manchester United, David Moyes left Everton and replaced his fellow Scotsman at Old Trafford.
David Moyes lifted the Community Shield with United after a 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic at Wembley in 2013, but things would later turn ugly for the Scot.
The 61-year-old ex-United manager had a disastrous run at Old Trafford and Moyes would be sacked by the Premier League club in 2014 after 10 months in charge.
Moyes struggled with the immense pressure that came with succeeding Ferguson at United and the former Everton boss was poorly backed in the transfer windows.
Rafael da Silva played under Moyes at United and the former Brazil and Red Devils right-back has now defended Ferguson’s successor at Old Trafford.
Speaking to FourFourTwo magazine, he said: “It was tough for him at United, wasn’t it?
“Moyes was Scottish, just like Sir Alex, but they’re different people, different managers, with totally different styles.
“I think that any manager who’d arrived after everything Ferguson had done at Old Trafford was going to have a difficult time. It had been 28 years. That’s really complicated.
“Moyes still receives unjust criticism, because it’d be a hard job for any manager in the world, but I admired him very much.”
David Moyes’ position remains clear on his Man Utd run and the expectation of succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford
United saw out the remainder of the 2013-14 campaign with Red Devils legend Ryan Giggs as interim player-manager after David Moyes was axed from the club.
Moyes, who had inked a six-year deal with United after succeeding Ferguson, said that he did not have enough time at the Red Devils before he was dismissed.
“I believe I’ll be a much wiser and more knowledgeable coach and manager from the short time I had at Old Trafford,” he told The Sunday Post in 2014.
Moyes added: “I believe I had nothing but support from Sir Alex during my short period as manager.
“It was unfortunate I wasn’t given more time to succeed. It could well be that gone are the days of long-term planning at United.”
Moyes would later bounce back from his setback at Old Trafford and the former Sunderland and West Ham boss is currently in his second spell at Everton.
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