David Moyes named the new Sunderland manager to replace England boss Sam Allardyce
Chairman Ellis Short finally gets his man after failing FIVE times to take him to Stadium of Light
DAVID MOYES has been named the new manager of Sunderland as chairman Ellis Short finally got his man.
Moyes has signed a four-year deal and his appointment was announced a day after Sam Allardyce left to become England boss.
The former Manchester United boss has jumped at the chance of taking over at the Stadium of Light in his first job in English football since he left Old Trafford.
And Short revealed the Scot had been the man he wanted to bring into the club for the last five times he has been forced to name a new manager.
In a dig at Allardyce, who quit his job with the Black Cats three weeks before the start of the new season, Short said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome David Moyes to Sunderland, who was by far and away our first choice.
“He is a man whose football pedigree speaks for itself and is someone I have long admired.
"I have spoken with him on many occasions and I have always been hugely impressed.
"He was my number one managerial target for the last five appointments, but his desire to honour existing contracts meant we were not able to bring him to Sunderland previously.
";To be able to finally welcome him as our manager is fantastic news for the club.
“The fact that David has committed to a four-year deal is a clear demonstration of his belief in what he can achieve here.
"It is our aim to become a better, stronger and more stable football club and with a manager of David’s calibre and experience at the helm, we have a fantastic opportunity to begin looking upwards, rather than downwards every season”.
Moyes said: “I am delighted to have joined Sunderland. I am relishing the challenge and excited by the opportunity.
“I have taken over a big British club, with a great support and I’m looking forward to working in the Premier League again.
“I look forward to continuing the good work done by Sam”.
Moyes is one of the most experienced managers in British football, having started his career with Preston in 1998, who he guided to the second division title.
He then spent 11 years at Everton where he made a name for himself by stabilising a club who often skirted with relegation and led them into the Champions League.
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His big chance came when Sir Alex Ferguson quit as United boss in 2013 and recommended him as his successor - but things turned sour after just seven months in charge as an ageing side turned on him.
Moyes made a return to management in Spain when he took charge of Osasuna in 2014, where he stayed for a year before he was sacked by the La Liga club.
Since then he has been out of work and waiting for the right opportunity to come along - and Sunderland fits the bill as an outfit he believes he can stabilise and take forward.