DAVID MOYES never did like

“The Chosen One” banner which hung from the Stretford End at Old Trafford during his ill-fated and brief stay at Manchester United.

The Liverpool supporters, however, lapped up the failures of a former Everton manager now at their fiercest rivals especially when their new man,

a certain Brendan Rodgers, was doing so well at Anfield. Their response:

“The Carefully Chosen One”.

And this could be used to describe what went on in the Celtic boardroom a year ago when it came to discussing who to replace Ronny Deila. Moyes, a former player, was a leading candidate and even got interviewed by the club.

It is my belief that he was the second choice behind Rodgers. Moyes has since intimated he turned down Celtic, which is not my understanding, but it’s fair to say that had Rodgers said no to Dermot Desmond, then Moyes would have been given the job.

Talk about a close call. The 53-year-old is no longer the chosen one at even Sunderland, a basketcase of a club, and it does seem he will either walk or be sacked before what has been a wretched relegation season has run its course.

Just four years ago next week, Sir Alex Ferguson announced he would be retiring and that shock news was quickly followed up by the coronation of who the great man felt was his natural successor.

Moyes had done a good job, if not a great one, at Everton but his record against the top clubs was poor and he’d never won a trophy, although his record at Goodison was sound enough.

A lot has happened since 2013 and none of it good.

The job at Old Trafford was simply too big for him. His inability to make quick decisions in the transfer market became a huge liability and he was sacked after less than a season. To this day Moyes says he was unfairly treated. Few others, if anyone, agree with his assessment.

He was courted by Newcastle United and Sunderland back then but opted for Spain and Real Sociedad. Apart from not winning enough matches, they were above the relegation places on goal-difference when in December 2015 he was again sacked – there were accusations of him not learning the language.

To put what he did in some context. Real Sociedad currently sit sixth in La Liga and for much of this campaign were challenging for a Champions League place.

And then came Sunderland.

True, Moyes was dealt a bad hand but he then didn’t play it well. It fact, his Sunderland team haven’t played at all and looked doomed from the very start of the season and, indeed, after two games he said it would be a struggle.

Sunderland’s owner Ellis Short didn’t come through with the money he promised and is now trying to sell the club which for years flirted with relegation. None of this is the fault of Moyes.

But when he did make signings, they were duds. A newspaper on Monday revealed his nickname was the Energy Vampire, such was his ability to drain enthusiasm from any situation. He will leave Wearside soon enough but where the Glaswegian will end up is anyone’s guess. Had Moyes been given the Celtic job, there would hardly have been an outcry. Let’s be honest. Indeed, he was on the SFA’s radar had Gordon Strachan walked after Wembley.

By then he knew there was no money coming his way and I’m told he would have been “easy to deal with” in terms of him leaving Sunderland for Scotland.

It wouldn’t have been seen as a particularly imaginative appointment but, again, there would hardly have been a boycott of Hampden.

But now when you add up this failure at Sunderland on top of his stay in Spain which saw him achieve nothing and then take into account his inability to cope with the pressure of Manchester United, where does that leave the career of the man who was set to become the next great Scottish football manager?

Celtic wouldn’t give him a glance now and it’s incredibly unlikely Moyes would be approached by the powers-that-be at Hampden if Strachan were to quit. No top English club will touch him and it’s hard to see him being touted for even mid-ranking Premier League sides.

The stories coming out of Sunderland are of players bored and bemused of his training methods, something which was levelled at him during his United days.

Then there was that incident when he threatened to slap a female reporter – he faces an FA charge for his behaviour – which lost him even more admirers.

There will soon be no Scottish managers in the Premier League when Moyes does go – there were six just a few seasons ago. It is almost impossible to see the last man standing getting back in any time soon.