It has now been three days since West Ham United announced their decision to part ways with manager David Moyes following the expiry of his six-month contract. Replacing Slaven Bilic in November 2017, the Scot led the Hammers to Premier League safety and 13th position, his departure has been met by mixed reviews. Today, in the first-ever West Ham Matters Collaboration, three West Ham Matters Writers give their opinions on the news, a mix of views, for sure.
Luke Glanville (@Glanville_Luke) – Site Lead:
I think the best evidence I could possibly use in backing up my pro-David Moyes points would centre around two of the pieces I wrote this week, one being Five Reasons Why David Moyes Wasn’t Offered A New West Ham Contract and Five Reasons Why David Moyes Should Have Been Offered A New West Ham Contract.
One of these was incredibly easy to write and the other, extremely difficult, I hugely struggled for reasons with the first one and didn’t have enough space to fit all my reasons in, in the second one.
How can a man that manages to miraculously save a sinking ship not be given the opportunity to guide it safely back to port before another captain can take it back out on its new adventures, to the “Next Level?”
For me, the short-term to medium-term aim for West Ham should be to reinstate themselves as a reliable mid-table outfit, returning to the place they once were, under the likes of Harry Redknapp, Alan Curbishley and Sam Allardyce, barring a couple of off-seasons, i.e. the safety of the port.
Once, under Moyes, a backbone has been installed and the club have enjoyed a couple of relegation battle-free campaigns in mid-table, perhaps even looking up a little further than that, then, it would be the right time to appoint a “High-calibre,” exciting name, i.e. a new captain to take the Hammers into exciting new waters.
The ex-Manchester United manager was 100% the right man to push the Irons forward from this position, bringing his experience and credentials to the table, he knows exactly how to restore order at a club and get them performing consistently.
I don’t feel the job he has managed to do at London Stadium should be in any question and if you read the latter of those two articles, you’ll find out just how amazing it was.
Who knows? Perhaps Moyes would have been able to build something similar to the legacy he left behind at Everton, 11 years of success, stability is the order of the day in the crazy world of West Ham United.
I’m not saying that the new manager of the club won’t be experienced or qualified enough for the job, however, I am suggesting that the board have let the best candidate slip away.
It is looking increasingly likely that the race for the post is now a two-horse one, between Manuel Pellegrini and Rafa Benitez, with the former set to sign a contract on Monday, as I understand, and I think that the fans should give the new boss all the backing and support they can.
I hope that Moyes will always be thanked and thought of highly by the Claret & Blue Army, and it certainly looks that way among the majority of those more active on social media, keen to give him a fond farewell.
On a personal note, the gaffer has been fantastic in press conferences all season, very helpful and a lovely person to be around, I have been impressed by his attitude and professionalism ever since his unveiling press conference last November.
I’m sure I can speak on behalf of most West Ham supporters in wishing him the very best of luck for his future, whether that be at Stoke City or elsewhere, and I hope to see him back at London Stadium in the near future.
Verdict On The Moyes Call: The Wrong Decision
Ciaran Judge (@Refjustice) – Columnist:
David Moyes did what was asked of him he kept West Ham up and has managed to hold together a club that looked like it was falling apart and I commend him for that. He was the right appointment at the time and when you look at clubs who changed Manager around the same time as us, West Brom, Swansea, Stoke it does vindicate the board’s decision to give him the job.
Managers like Pullis, Moyes and Allardyce will always have a job as “firefighters” when teams find themselves in trouble around November/December time they will come in and stabilise a club and bring solidity, work ethic and organisation just as Moyes did for us this season.
After the last two seasons West Ham need to decide what they want to be now, we are struggling as club to find a new identity both on and off the pitch, it’s my view that if we get the performances on the pitch right, the discontent about the ground will disappear, had West Ham had the season they did in 2015/2016 in 2016/2017 at the new stadium, I don’t think the discord would be anywhere near as bad amongst the fans.
What made my mind up that Moyes was not the man for the job was the way we lined against Stoke at home, we were so negative and were clearly set up not to lose rather than trying to win, I can understand it, a point a game average will keep you in the Premier League, but what West Ham fan is going to happy finishing 17th every year? Survival is portrayed as the be all and end all and for some of the clubs in the league, it is a great achievement what Huddersfield and Brighton have done is remarkable, but surely West Ham need to be aiming higher.
When you look at the players West Ham have it’s not unrealistic that they should be looking where Burnley finished as a realistic goal next year, to do that, we need a manager to unite behind, Moyes had lost the backing of the fans and his handling of certain situations particularly Declan Rice’s mistake against Arsenal was nothing short of bizarre.
Moyes did his job and we should thank him for that and move on, the point is we should not be in that situation in the first place. The board must get this appointment right, Benitez has worked wonders a Newcastle on far fewer resources and he is the man I would go for. Thanks, Mr Moyes but it’s time to move onwards and hopefully upwards.
Verdict On The Moyes Call: The Right Decision
Nick Caccavone (@slicknick66) – Columnist:
Verdict On The Moyes Call: The Wrong Decision
The club have pledged that they will appoint the successor to Moyes within the next seven days, plenty of names are in the frame, but the front-runner appears to be former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, with managers such as Newcastle United’s Rafa Benitez and ex-PSG boss Unai Emery not far behind.
