LOCKDOWN has been driving David Moyes bananas.
With no football to occupy his mind and determined to “do his bit” for people less fortunate than himself, West Ham’s manager moonlighted as a fruit and veg delivery man.
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Hammers boss David Moyes has been doing his bit to help out in the fight against coronavirus – here’s our mock-up of him as a fruit and veg man
Moyes, 56, has retreated to his family home on the Lancashire seaside to sit it out.
But also wanting to help out in any small way in the campaign to combat coronavirus.
Moyes said: “When the virus first broke out, the fruit and veg shop in my village were asking for drivers to deliver fruit and veg. So I became a driver for the fruit and veg shop.
“I delivered it to all the people in the neighbourhood. I did it for about four days. There was a sign in the window saying ‘volunteers needed’.
“My wife was away at the time, I was on my own. All I would do was drop the fruit and veg on the doorstep, knock on the door and then move away.
“I would knock, leave it and just check they came to get it. A lot of the customers were families. I’ve got to say they were beautiful, colourful boxes of fruit and veg.
“I was thinking ‘this is great’. I was actually enjoying it.
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“I’d drop them off, then go back to the shop and fill up my car to get another load. Most of the people paid online but the boy in the shop told me that a couple of people haven’t paid and asked, ‘Would you mind collecting the money?’
“At the first door an older lady came to the door and I think the bill was £16.80. She gave me a £20 note and said ‘here you go son, keep the change’.
“I had a similar experience with another older lady.
“Her bill was £17.60 or something. She gave me £15. She was starting to dig into her purse and I said ‘that’ll do’. That was my tip gone!
“A few people recognised me. At each house I knocked and stood outside the gate to make sure someone was picking up the fruit.
“And you could hear them say ‘Dave Moyes?’ I never stopped for a conversation though. Everybody was just grateful for their fruit and veg. I was just doing my bit.”
People all over football are doing what they can on an individual and club-wide basis to alleviate the financial and emotional strain on the country during the pandemic.
West Ham have one doctor seconded to the NHS frontline at a nearby east London hospital. Other medical staff are taking triage calls to assess possible coronavirus cases for the local health service.
They may as well. Despite the constantly spinning merry-go-round of endless meetings and analysis, football is still in full on limbo.
No official date for the return of our favourite sport. The longer it drags on the more risk of this disrupted season crashing into the next.
David Moyes admitted he has received some tips while delivering groceries
Moyes said: “I wouldn’t want next year to be affected. Why would we let this horrible virus have an impact on football going forward? We know it’s having a big impact just now.
“Just before the virus quite a few managers came out talking about the fixture pile-up.
“Well if we’re not going to finish the season until roughly about the time we expect to start the next, which would be mid-August, I can only see so much football getting squashed in — especially for teams who are fortunate enough to be in the Champions League or are regular contenders in the latter rounds of the FA Cup and League Cup.
“I’m saying to myself how can we possibly fit all the games in and get the quality we’re looking for?
“The standard in the Premier League is extremely high and I would be worried that squashing so many games into such a short period could in some way reduce the quality of the football in the Premier League.
“I’m finding it really difficult to see where the conclusion is and how we can start.
“Obviously there might be situations where players might refuse to play as well. They might not feel safe. There’s lots of different aspects of it.
“Broadcasters coming into stadiums to film the games would all need to be tested. There’s an awful lot of different parts to it.
“The deeper and deeper you look the harder you feel it is to get it up running again. But I do feel it’s important for the nation as well. Football plays a big part.
“Even for people to see some football on the telly would be good. but again it can’t come in front of us saving lives and supporting the NHS.
“Would a physio want to massage a player? Would you get tested before a game? Well what about after a game and you go back to your family? Are you tested after the game?”
There are those who maintain football is a simple game. Not any more.
Delivering fruit and vegetables sounds far less stressful.
Remote management is a novelty for Moyes but not something he fancies long term.
He said: “There might be a lot of businesses who choose to work from home. I don’t think it will work with football management.
“It will always be for the touchline and the dugout and the stadium and let’s hope that is how it continues.”
West Ham midfielder Declan Rice reveals West Ham bosses are tracking their players’ fitness levels via an app
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
