ClaretandHugh was asked to write a piece for the London Evening Standard today. For your interest here it is from Page 62 of tonight’s paper:
Slaven Bilic’s day is done and Sgt Major David Moyes is on his way in to the London Stadium as the club’s 16th boss.
One thing is guaranteed , a culture shock is about to hit a squad who have been under performing in the biggest possible way – a scenario which most Hammers watchers believe is down to a sub standard fitness regime!
The Moyes appointment has been greeted with howls of discontent by many among the Hammers faithful but it comes as no real surprise as he was the board’s first choice to take over when they decided to let Sam Allardyce leave just over two years ago.
Many have already written the Scot off and are freely throwing the R word around as though Championship football next season is a given.
That’s based largely on Moyes’ Sunderland misadventure last season when the Mackems took the drop and are now bang bottom of the Championship.
There were however reasons for that – a refusal to allow him to bring in his own backroom staff and the decision to deprive him of transfer cash.
It’s easy – but possibly misleading – to slam the man since some heady days at Everton after a bright start to his management career at Preston North End.
But let’s be fair, he was recommended by Sir Alex as the right man to follow him into Old Trafford but the fellow Scot’s long shadow engulfed him and ate him up. Not an easy act to follow
Real Sociedad was a mistake and Sunderland is the job he shouldn’t have taken given the circumstances he was offered by the club’s board.
He now has a massive motivation too put everything right and restore what was once a great reputation – he couldn’t have much more incentive. Another relegation is unthinkable in his terms
There have been many stories running around the club of late – that the players are 100 per cent fed up with the lack of intensity in training. Today the players have been given their normal day off when perhaps they could have been called in given the Liverpool disaster of Saturday.
Moyes is a different animal and once appointed will take no prisoners among any who believe they can relax.
He may just be the man required amongst a squad that has lacked pace and fitness – a criticism aimed throughout last season and this.
He may not be everybody’s cup of tea but all of us should be ready to give him a chance.
Fair enough Hugh, says it all really. Certainly not our first choice but if it is Moyes then we all get behind him and hope he can bring this squad together, eradicating these endless errors, increasing fitness levels, providing balance to the squad and the first eleven, playing some decent football, getting the fans on side, picking up some points, clearing out the dead wood, bringing in some quality ……………………….
God he must REALLY want a job!
LOL – love the sign off line LOL
😂
Well he froze out Hernandez at United so let’s see how he deals with that first. Then he can recall Oxford and Snodgrass who seems to be playing brilliantly at Villa.
He had a few more options up there Thaugh
Good article. Like Jimbo said not everyones first choice but if it happens I will get behind him & hope for the passion he showed at Everton. And he will have a point to prove bc like you said this could be last job if he mucks it up. I like the idea of Pearce in coaching staff.
Guess we will know for sure soon. Just seems we have this break so want not interview some other when job is actually available Wilder Jokanovic…
But the Fitness w what has been shown has the staff coming should def change.
I’m normally a moaner but to be honest I’m fine with Moyes especially if Pearce comes as well ..let’s give the man a chance ffs… no he might not be the majority of fans choice but it might just work..he,s got better squad to play with than at Sunderland and in Spain let’s get behind him before we push him out ..coyi
I like Pearce comingnin as coach and said on Talksport he would
Like the vast majority of us Moyes ain’t my choice of msnager, however, he produced at PNE and at Everton and Ferguson saw something special in him so perhaps he will do a number for us after all. I’ll be over there and I’ll be supporting him and the team otherwise all we will achieve is to dampen any spark he may ignite.
Let’s get behind him lads Slav is gone, a great guy but he shot his bolt when Payet scarpered so he had to go. Someone’s got to liven up our lazy arsed over paid premadonas. Zabaletta Antonio an Noble are the only players who play with passion and heart and we need that back. I reckon Moyrs would drop anyone he didn’t fancy was trying and use the youngsters if necessary which could prove effective……let’s wsit and see but we need to unite and get behind him and if we do that and the team respond let’s see where we go next. Come on you irons ⚒
Whomever is appointed, some will not be happy. I personally didn’t want Moyes. If he turns us round and we finish safe does that mean he gets a long term contract or will we select another for next season? Bit of a cleft stick situation really. We want to stay up but do we want him for the next 3 years or so? suppose it depends on the type of football he serves up. COYI x
Other changes might see isnw youth & Adrian gettting #1 back (which I’m an Adrian fan) being that he didn’t want Hart at Sunderland…
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/11/06/david-moyes-turned-down-joe-hart-at-sunderland-now-could-work-wi/
I’m afraid not JRS. Kevin Sheedy who was the Everton youth team coach said that in 7 years Moyes didn’t once watch the youth team play. He said he had no interest in the young players.
Hugh, you write so much rubbish it’s agonising. Fergie rated him? So what! Did you ever notice Fergie always rates his best mates like Moyes and Allardyce. And just because Fergie was a good manager it doesn’t mean he’s a good judge of a manager. How would fergie know? Did he witness Moyes training sessions, half time talks etc.? No, he didn’t. So stop using it as a reason to back Moyes. And the fetish for what Moyes did 10 years ago is ridiculous. What is it about the obsession people have with the past? Maybe explains why Palace hired Hodgson. Not to mention that Moyes record at Everton is vastly overrated. Read what Rio had to say about Moyes’s amateurish training sessions and tactics and how he isn’t tough like some claim, he avoids confrontation. Read the piece posted on Kumb by a Real Sociedad fan. Read what Kevin Sheedy the ex Everton coach had to say about Moyes. Moyes is a bad manager, period. He leaves no legacy at any club, players don’t respect him and his tactics are dull and predictable. This is quite possibly the worst appointment this club has ever made. And yes, I didn’t forget Zola, Grant or Roeder. It may only be 6 months but Moyes will sign players we will be saddled with for years and poor tactics that will leave a long impression. The damage that Moyes will inflict will take a long time to get over even if we stay up.
Yes your right. It is a bad appointment. We may well live to regret it. There probably were better options. However it is done and dusted and we can,t change the fact that he is now our manager. Therefore let’s stop the negativity. BACK HIM TILL THEY SACK HIM. That’s the only option left to us. COYI X.