This weekend will see David Moyes manager West Ham United for the final time, and his mission for the last match of the 2023/24 campaign? Get a result at champions-elect, Manchester City.
A win would secure Pep Guardiola’s team’s fourth straight Premier League crown, but a different outcome would guarantee Arsenal’s first championship in 20 years.
If Moyes is able to limit City’s goals, he will surely leave a hero behind, but some could argue that he is one already, considering all he has accomplished for the East London team in his two stints at the club.
Moyes excelled while leading West Ham
Although not everyone appreciated his football style, his accomplishments cannot be discounted.
CaughtOffside columnist Stan Collymore is appalled at the manner Moyes has been treated, considering that he has not only kept the Hammers steady but also witnessed them become a true power in Europe.
Even though it has been a real mixed bag at times, David Moyes has had a fairly successful tenure at West Ham. In his exclusive piece, he stated, “They’ve struggled in the Premier League, but they’ve been fantastic in Europe, and winning the Conference League was a real high point.”
Do I think David Moyes’ tenure at West Ham is coming to an end? Yes, but West Ham’s approach to it has been completely chaotic.
It’s difficult to argue against the former hitman for the Premier League.
These days, supervisor expectations are frequently unrealistic and unfounded. They expect trophies to be won on a regular basis without considering the financial and infrastructural constraints that teams face.
West Ham has virtually always looked for deals. Of course, there have been some standout exceptions, like Lucas Paqueta, but it seems that David Sullivan and company are constantly trying to acquire players who are either past their prime and hence cheap, or who are still developing but haven’t reached their full potential.
Given that context, Moyes has done a fantastic job, and even with his excellent rating, Julen Lopetegui still has work to do to win over the London Stadium supporters.
Collymore thinks he won’t live long enough to accomplish those goals either.
“I think to myself are their better options out there and I think there probably are,” he continued. “All clubs talk to potential new managers behind the current incumbents’ backs, that’s just a given.”
No matter what assurances were given to him, the manner in which he abandoned Wolves was a complete shame. And that would be a huge red flag for me because, if he performed well at West Ham, teams like Liverpool and Manchester United would come calling for him later on. These teams, along with possibly Chelsea, will also be in transition for years to come, so he would gladly leave the Hammers as well. Therefore, I believe that their diligence in locating the correct candidate has been egregious.