Jordan Endorses Lumsden

Former United striker Joe Jordan believes Jimmy Lumsden can provide priceless assistance to David Moyes in his new role at Old Trafford.

Jordan, currently first-team coach at QPR, took his fellow Scot Lumsden to Bristol City as his assistant when starting out on a career in management in 1988 so he fully appreciates the 65-year-old's qualities.

Ex-Leeds and Celtic midfielder Lumsden moved from Everton with Steve Round and Chris Woods to join Moyes' backroom team this week and has known the United manager since his playing days at Parkhead.

"Jimmy was experienced because he’d previously been assistant manager at Leeds United so he had that experience which was what I needed," explained Jordan to ManUtd.com. "I was just starting out and you need that so I was grateful to him for giving me that.

"He was someone I could knock things about with as well as the other qualities he had. I could talk to him and get his opinion as that knowledge was important for me. Obviously, that knowledge and that experience has become tenfold now because he’s been in the game for that length of time since then. He has gained all that and added that to his abilities and stored it away.

"Jimmy has got a lot of qualities. He’s somebody I can trust and David Moyes can trust. As soon as he got his job, he got Jimmy in. It goes all the way back to the connection with Moyesy at Celtic.

"Jimmy had just left Leeds, when I arrived but I knew him. Jimmy came to Leeds at a similar time as Eddie Gray, the two Glasgow boys came down together. Jimmy went on to Morton but then Billy McNeill took him to Celtic Park as he needed someone to educate the boys and teach them the game as a football player and a professional. He certainly did that at a huge club and Moyesy was there at the time and has seen that, along with the other things like his hard work and loyalty. He never forgot that. When he got the chance as manager, he went and got Jimmy for similar reasons to why I got him.

"Hence Jimmy was at Celtic as an experienced player and Moyesy was starting out so they go back quite a bit as well. Moyesy knew what he was getting – someone from those days, someone he trusts and still trusts and that’s very important. You want someone with an opinion – you don’t want someone simply agreeing with you but saying what they think.

"You, as a manager, take on board what the people about you are telling you, and what their angle is, plus their insight, and look at it from another view. Then you make your mind up. It’s priceless. Along with the other things – Jimmy knows the game very, very well and knows his players so those sort of people are what you need and that’s why David has taken him to Old Trafford."

Lumsden will certainly relish the task at United after collecting so much experience during his lengthy service to the game.

"It’s one of the biggest jobs in the world at any stage of your career," Jordan pointed out. "But that’s what you strive to do – to play at the top and then, whatever profession you’re in, as a coach or manager, you want to do that at the top and do it with the top team."