It was a belittling sacking of Manchester United’s first manager since the end of Alex Ferguson’s reign.
After a languid showing in the league, the 2012-2013 league champions slipped to an unthinkable 7th in the table, the worst showing of a defending champion since the seventh-place finish of Ray Harford’s Blackburn Rovers in 1996. Things hadn’t suck lower since Alan Pardew’s headbutt on Hull’s David Meyler and Raheem Sterling’s Olympic-standard dive at Norwich, United decided that it would be best to part ways with former Everton boss, Moyes, in a not-so-secret coup d’etat.
Before anything could happen, before Moyes could get the “you’re fired, okay bye” from executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and The Glazers, Twitter was already abuzz about the Premier League’s latest victim to meet the managerial axe.
Ah, the new age of communication. And like any modern form of sacking, nothing is complete without a YouTube video retelling the farcical mess, or at least, reinterpreting the brouhaha in Spanglish.
We came across a video by one of Singapore’s most-loved music duo, Jack & Rai. The pair, joined on cajon by artist and musician, Andy Yang, have made an outstanding parody of Moyes’ sacking and lamenting the anguishing 10 months United fans such as them have had to deal with.
“It took about three to four hours to write the lyrics, and it did involve some Spanish research,” said Rai via email.
“It was right after lunch when I started writing it actually. I was only reading the online news about Moyes and United’s loss to Everton. While I was three-quarter way through the song, I saw the breaking news that Moyes had been sacked, on Twitter. Understanding that there was going to be huge buzz about it over the next 24 hours, I finished the lyrics and we decided to record the video the same night, roping in Jack’s neighbour, Andy Yang, to play cajon for us.”
Rai is indifferent to the sacking and sympathises with Moyes, feeling the manager should have given more time. Blah, blah, who cares now? Are we going to see more comedic numbers from Jack & Rai? Will they be Singapore’s answer to Flight Of The Conchords?
“Yes, you can expect more parodies! If we are inspired by anything that happens around us. We just love having a good laugh and sharing it. Some people are a little too serious these days,” said Rai.
Tell that to The Glazers.
Lyrics by Rai
Music by Jack, Rai & Andy Yang
Live vocals by Jack & Rai
Adapted from:
VOLARE by Gipsy Kings
Written by Domenico Modugno, Franco Migliacci
LYRICS:
Verse 1:
He came along from Merseyside club Everton
People they say this man, picked by hand of Ferguson
Now he don’t know what to do with Nemanja and Rio
Rooney, Van persie, Shinji, and Marouane Fellatio
Chorus:
Oh Moyes oh no
castrate, Ohhhh
Man U is mid table club
No trophy, and no champions cup
Bridge:
Aye caramba, caramba Manchester United just tweeted that he left the club
No importa, importa we know that the team will fight
But tequila tequila is what we will drink tonight
Chorus
Verse 2:
Man U have problems in front cos they can’t score a goal
But Giggs still my hero although he’s quarenta years old
I do not blame Moyes he want to make a difference
But 51 games he had 51 starting elevens
Chorus
Solo
Chorus
Verse 3:
I have a secret idea that nobody knows
He Paid off by Rodgers, Pellegrini and Mourinho
Speedy Gonzales could be better as a manager
At least he could win every match against Sylvester
