Marouane Fellaini believes David Moyes will prove perfectly suited to Manchester United as he possesses temperament and ruthlessness similar to Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Everton midfielder has first-hand experience of how tough a taskmaster Moyes can be. When he received a three-match ban at Christmas for head-butting Ryan Shawcross at Stoke, Moyes was so incensed that he hauled Fellaini into training at Finch Farm on his own.
Some managers could have soft-soaped the problem, particularly ahead of transfer window when there was interest in Fellaini, but instead Moyes find the Belgium international two weeks’ wages and subjected him to a torrid individual session.
Hard taskmaster: David Moyes and Marouane Fellaini have not always seen eye to eye
Hair: Fellaini and presenter Hayley McQueen at Everton's end of Season Awards
Fellaini, whose own future at Goodison Park remains the subject of speculation, says he learned a vital lesson that day and, most importantly, he feels the experience shows why Moyes won’t feel intimidated when he walks into the dressing room at Old Trafford.
‘He is a decent man but believe me he can be tough,’ said Fellaini. ‘If you want to win something, to create a good team, you have to be hard sometimes with the players. Football is like this. He can be scary.
Wrong: Moyes called Fellaini in for a day of training for this headbutt
‘When I was banned after the Stoke game, he gave everyone the day off – the players, the entire staff. But I came to training to do a session with him. It was not easy to go into the camp to face him like that. I understood, because I knew I had made a mistake.
‘But, you know, it's not easy when you know you have let him down. Just going in there knowing you have to look him in the eye was tough! He put me through a tough session. It was a full on: running, shooting, passing. Everything was very intense and afterwards I was upset.
Promotion from within: Phil Neville is one of the candidates to take over from Moyes
‘I said afterwards “this is bad” but I am happy when he looked after me, so I understand. He was so important to me, he gave me my chance and he has done everything for me. He gave me the confidence to play at this level, I learnt a lot from him.
'There's no doubt David Moyes is a top manager who can be at Manchester United. Every year with Everton we are in the top six, we have been to finals and we challenge.
'Everybody knows Everton don't have a big squad but that hasn't stopped him doing a great job here. Good luck to him.’
Everton are taking their time in appointing Moyes’ successor. Internal candidates Phil Neville, Alan Stubbs and David Weir have all been interviewed, while Roberto Martinez, Victor Perreira from Porto and Swansea’s Michael Laudrup are also on the shortlist.
Perreira's agent Christophe Henrotay said: 'There is interest in clubs around Europe for Victor but there is also interest in Porto about extending his contract. In the next coming days, we will see what is best for him to do and we will make a decision.'
After so long with the same manager, Fellaini has explained how unusual the atmosphere around the club has been.
‘It has been difficult, a very strange time at Everton in the last couple of weeks,’ said Fellaini. ‘It is Manchester United and everybody wants to manage that club, and he had the big chance, so everybody understands his decision.
‘It was strange when he told us he was leaving. I don't think we were too upset - we were happy for him because he has ambition as well. He has worked 11 years at Everton and has done so well for this club, and now he has an even bigger challenge.’
The Everton midfielder has first-hand experience of how tough a taskmaster Moyes can be. When he received a three-match ban at Christmas for head-butting Ryan Shawcross at Stoke, Moyes was so incensed that he hauled Fellaini into training at Finch Farm on his own.
Some managers could have soft-soaped the problem, particularly ahead of transfer window when there was interest in Fellaini, but instead Moyes find the Belgium international two weeks’ wages and subjected him to a torrid individual session.
Hard taskmaster: David Moyes and Marouane Fellaini have not always seen eye to eye
Hair: Fellaini and presenter Hayley McQueen at Everton's end of Season Awards
‘He is a decent man but believe me he can be tough,’ said Fellaini. ‘If you want to win something, to create a good team, you have to be hard sometimes with the players. Football is like this. He can be scary.
Wrong: Moyes called Fellaini in for a day of training for this headbutt
‘But, you know, it's not easy when you know you have let him down. Just going in there knowing you have to look him in the eye was tough! He put me through a tough session. It was a full on: running, shooting, passing. Everything was very intense and afterwards I was upset.
Promotion from within: Phil Neville is one of the candidates to take over from Moyes
'There's no doubt David Moyes is a top manager who can be at Manchester United. Every year with Everton we are in the top six, we have been to finals and we challenge.
'Everybody knows Everton don't have a big squad but that hasn't stopped him doing a great job here. Good luck to him.’
Everton are taking their time in appointing Moyes’ successor. Internal candidates Phil Neville, Alan Stubbs and David Weir have all been interviewed, while Roberto Martinez, Victor Perreira from Porto and Swansea’s Michael Laudrup are also on the shortlist.
Perreira's agent Christophe Henrotay said: 'There is interest in clubs around Europe for Victor but there is also interest in Porto about extending his contract. In the next coming days, we will see what is best for him to do and we will make a decision.'
After so long with the same manager, Fellaini has explained how unusual the atmosphere around the club has been.
‘It has been difficult, a very strange time at Everton in the last couple of weeks,’ said Fellaini. ‘It is Manchester United and everybody wants to manage that club, and he had the big chance, so everybody understands his decision.
‘It was strange when he told us he was leaving. I don't think we were too upset - we were happy for him because he has ambition as well. He has worked 11 years at Everton and has done so well for this club, and now he has an even bigger challenge.’
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