CandH Exclusive by Hughie Southon
West Ham boss David Moyes has failed to offer fresh talks with Tomas Soucek’s agents on a new deal for the player.
And we understand the defensive midfielder’s representatives are currently discussing a possible switch with clubs both here and abroad.
However, names of those involved are being kept closely guarded by his representatives in order not to inhibit their position.
Despite denying that the 27 year old will be leaving the Hammers, the manager has done nothing yet to take up the opportunity of offering him an extension.
The Hammers would be hoping for a fee of around £40 million for the defensive midfielder but we are told that so far this has proved too high for clubs interested in making an offer.
However the Hammers could expect to get back the £20 million they paid for the 27 year old and make a small profit.
But our source close to Soucek told us: “I’d say the only way he will be staying at the London Stadium is if terms can’t be agreed with another club!”
This is another ludicrous situation we find ourselves in again with Moyes being the archetect of the problem by playing him as a defensive midfielder when this is clearly not his best role. I now have serious doubts about Moyes & the way he is going about his business, Haller , Vlasic, Benrahma, Hugill, Cullen are all clear signs that Moyes is uncapable of overseeing transfer windows……these are worryng times again when you look at some of the transfer targets we are being linked with as i don’t see many of them being ” better than what we’ve got”
If we get off to a bad start this season after another transfer window that Moyes has overseen then surely the board must take action & get rid of him !!!!!
Why would the Board look to get rid of the only manager that has delivered two successive seasons of European football to a club that has been so badly managed (laughably so at times) in the past, including during the time that the current Board have been in control? Even if we get off to a bad start? (And we’ve got Man City first game of the season, and so we may very well get off to a bad start.) Perhaps we should just get rid of Moyes now, and reappoint Avram Grant? Keen to hear which other “ludicrous situations” we’ve been in since January 2020, when Moyes took over for the second time. I can’t remember any.
I think the Grant example to the sort of comparison made by someone who can see no wrong in Moyes when the reality is we will need to see who he brings in and how good or bad they are, This is a big test for him as it is a reconstruction of the squad which gave us Euro football and most of the players came in b4 his time. Shall we wait and see before making ANY judgement. All I will say is he has a major major job on hand. Is he up to it? Not sure. He is a cracking coach, whether hes a manager and can buy and sell right remains to be seen
Zouma, Coufal, Bowen, Moyes has done amazing business.
He’s had some flops but he is not given that enough money where the risks of a flop are low.
Look at managers before him and others in the league. How many times have Man U got it wrong whilst spending crazy cash or Chelski with Lukaku!
Moyes is a genius (and I was not previously a big fan) and we cannot lose him (unless the board start spending a lot more).
I never want Rice to go but we would be lower in the league if we lost Moyes than if we lost Rice, IMO.
We need the fans to stay behind the club and it will go places
As always, ljd, i totally agree with you. Can’t remember a manager having two good season’s in a row like we have since i’ve been supporting us which is about 45 years.
Have a word with yourself
You have fears on his transfers but you forget Coufal, Zouma, Dawson, Bowen…and would Cullen really make the team? Not one trying to get into Europa and certainly not one to get into the champs league.
Haller just wasn’t that good for the prem, there are a lot of players who score in the Dutch league who are poor in the prem.
He’s not spent that much either, considering the sales he had to make and the amounts he gets to spend are not enough to get guaranteed successes.
I don’t know what people expect, with this squad size and battling on all fronts a lot of last season the team did amazing and finished absolve a lot of richer clubs, who had less games to play.
Plus the football is good to watch, some of the fast break goals last season were tip, top.
If you are unhappy now, I’d suggest giving West Ham a break until some oil baron takes over.
Why are we in this position, the guy gives his all every game . He is solid , I don’t agree with selling and yes in my opinion he should be offered an improved contract . Stupidity to sell unless it’s for decent money and a big upgrade . I can’t see who we would get that would be an improvement. Phillips sure but that don’t look likely !
First of all Bella, David Moyes has come in and saved us from relegation twice, stabilised the club and then followed that up by giving us 2 of our most successful seasons in recent times by qualifying for back to back European campaigns. A few years ago you would have been dreaming of having 2 seasons in a row like we have just had. The window has only just opened, and already the impatient and opinionated have started with their unreasonable comments and views. Pellegrini spent around £150 million and wasted a fair chunk of those resources with record buys and extortionate wages, putting the club in an unstable position. If that hadn’t happened Moyes would have had a bigger war chest at his disposal. That impacted the finances when Moyes came in, so you can understand why he wasn’t taking major risks with signings. But that is all in the past now with our club stable again thanks to him. iSack the manager you say. Sack the man who has done more for this club in recent years than any previous manger for over a decade? Really? Are you a Spurs supporter in disguise? I think he has well and truly earned and deserves the right to take as much time as he wants, and to do things in what ever way he sees fit considering how well he has done for us so far. If people just let him get on with his job and support him, instead of criticising him for decisions that you have no idea or insight into – apart from maybe the crap and gossip you read online and in the gutter press – then I think we could be even more successful. Obviously he has absolutely no idea what he is doing considering the major failures he has signed like Jarrod Bowen, Kurt Zouma, Vlad Coufal, Said Benrahma (who I personally think has done OK and will Improveeven more), Thomas Soucek and Craig Dawson just to name a few. And just a mention about your facts, try researching them first – Haller was a Pellegrini signing, not Moyes. And Soucek’s current contract runs till 2024 and the club has the option of a 12 month extension as well. So there is no there is no ludicrous situation to start with. Also that 12 month extension is the clubs option to activate and not not his, so in theory he could be under contract till 2025. Hopefully some of the true level headed supporters will back me up on this and keep supporting the manager and team in true claret and blue style!!
This is the most sensible post I’ve read on C&H since the whistle blew on the 3-1 defeat at the AmEx in May. Totally agree with every word of it. Sack Moyes? GSB should be looking to name a stand after him, such is the debt of gratitude that they owe him
Second and third this
I’ve had two top seasons watching the team
They have an identity in UK and Europe
No one wants to play us
Sports pundits all give max respect now
Anyone booing Moyes after a few losses (especially with the early fixtures) is a crap fan or a Spurs supporter, as far as I’m concerned
Absolutely spot on IronSupport. Sick of all the negativity. Some of our so called fans are embarassing. only commenting when they can criticise someone, never finding a positive in anything. They must have miserable, wretched lives.
With you all the way on that one, i couldn’t agree more
From Hammer of the Year to not wanted in one season, which he played virtually every game in, and we finished seventh and Europa semis . A very disturbing situation, that in a summer of major transition, we should potentially lose a hard working top player like Soucek. To question Mr Moyes’ judgement in this, and the Vlasic fiasco, is not to call for his sacking. He has done wonders with this squad, which is acknowledged and enjoyed by us all, but to be concerned is a valid opinion
I suspect the issue is Tomas isn’t happy about his position and he’s not going to play back up to Dec so DM thinks move him on while he has value and bring in a true holding mid to complement Dec’s 2 way game. This move only makes sense if he is replaced with a quality defensive midfielder. And he doesn’t move to a premier rival. But I think this move is much more likely than not by the sounds of it.
I’m not implying that Moyes is perfection, by any means. But I am saying – because it’s blindingly obvious – that he’s a massive improvement on the dross that we’ve had to put up with since 1989. The idea that we’re in anything other than a massively-improved position both on and off the field as a result of Moyes being in charge, in my view at least, is delusional. The idea that Moyes has somehow caused “ludicrous situations” (as per the comment above) is delusional. If consolidating comfortably in the top half of the is a “ludicrous situation”, I’m up for more ludicrousness. All day long. The reason I used the Grant example is that he was a manager who very obviously created – aided by GSB – a genuinely “ludicrous situation”.
And of course GSB created the ludicrous situation of re-employing Moyes for wHich those who dislike them will Give no credit OR FIND AN EXCUSE AS TO WHY THEY DID. As I said I’ll wait and see b4 making any comment on his MANAGEMENT skills as opposed to his COACHNG ABILITIES.
I am not sure why they don’t pay Soucek what he is asking for, he is one of the best defensive midfielders we have ever had, unless it’s stupid money like £150k a week then just pay it, it’s far more expensive to replace a player than it is to increase their salary and it will take a while for any replacement to get upto speed with our system of playing.
Moyes does seem to be the architect of his own playing woes, like playing Benrahma and Vlasic out of position, certain players are better as round pegs in round holes and not all of them can play a variety of positions with the same success.
My personal view is that Tomas is a top player who played more than 60 games last season – that after having a minimal break because of international commitments last summer. No wonder the guy was not as fresh as the season before, he knows the system is an excellent player and will come good again give the fella some time and space. It would be a mistake to let him go. As for Moyesie what shirt memories we all have. The bloke as iron pirate puts it so well is a top manager. He has an enormous rebuilding job to do – not only did Pelegrín’s flash the cash he also bought ageing players moyesie is trying slowly but surely to turn that around and refresh the squad.
I’ve stated on here regularly that I’m both a strong supporter of David Moyes and a big fan of Tomas Soucek. I’ll be really disappointed if the issues between them can’t be resolved so that Tomas is happy to stay with us. We really started to hit our stride and look defensively stronger after he signed. Two points for consideration. Moyes has always credited the professionalism of Tomas and his positive example to the rest of the squad. So reward that as it’s an effect we’ll need post-Noble, especially with new players coming in (hopefully) this summer. Secondly, if the club are offering him out for £30-40 million, why are we looking to sell a player we obviously rate so highly?
I agree with most of the posters above. Not only is Moyes the best manager since John Lyall and has nothing to prove as far as I’m concerned but also I believe Moyes will want to Keep Souchek. I believe Moyes rates Souchek very highly as do I and I think we should keep hold of him. I agree greatly with 1980 above and also the post from IronPirate above is probably one of the best most spot on posts I’ve ever read on this web site and I couldn’t agree more with everything he wrote.