Tony Cottee would sooner have seen David Moyes remain as West Ham manager than see Manuel Pellegrini appointed to the job.
Cottee has broken his silence after the arrival of Pellegrini and spend of over £100 million to declare ““We should have kept David Moyes.”
And although he has waited until four defeats are on the board to say so, he added: “At the end of last season I thought, ‘We have had two difficult seasons and what we need is a third season of stability.’
“We had someone at the club in David Moyes who could have done that but no, the board decide to go and choose someone else.
I just don’t understand the appointment [of Pellegrini]. I didn’t understand the appointment at the time.”
Cottee – a well known and outspoken critic of the board – added: “It is alright saying Pellegrini is a great manager but when you are managing Manchester City and have the best players in the world it is a lot easier than coming to West Ham and having to motivate the players. I don’t get that impression that he is going to motivate and inspire the players.
“Absolutely I am worried it is going to be a battle to stay up. The next three games [against Everton, Chelsea and Manchester United] are absolutely vital.
“The ironic thing is if they were to get rid of Pellegrini they would be saying ‘We need a Sam Allardyce or David Moyes to come in and steady the ship’, which is what they had in the first place.”
And warming to his theme before concluding he added: “It is absolutely ridiculous.”
He’s saying this a little late in the day, but it is pretty much in line with what I am coming to think about Pellegrini. In fact , I have posted on this subject a couple of times already. I am very worried that Pellegrini is much in the same mold as Avram Grant was. It is , I would suspect, very easy to manage a top club with the best players. That is not what West Ham are. Any success here is going to be very hard won, indeed. I wish him & the team well – I do not think either are capable of much success .
The current doom n gloom and knee jerk reactions are not exactly new from younger football fans of our club. I remember poor starts during Lyall’s era – including some of the teams hat Cottee played in…..which is why I’m disappointed in his comments after just FOUR games! There was no over-reaction in those days, we got behind the team and by November the league position was usually a lot better. C;mon, let’s get behind Pellegrini and the squad. Let him and the new players adjust to each other and whatever new style he wants to introduce. I can’t believe there is anyone that wants to move backwards to Moyes, or Allardyce..
We were moving forward with Moyes . Pelligrini is currently moving us backwards .
Bull. We were turgid under moyes
Trevor, I agree with your sentiments, but just to clarify – I am not a youngster. I have been a supporter since 1958. I have seen it all before. Sometimes we have come through & sometimes we haven’t. What is different this time is that we have spent £100m & have got nowhere. Now, it might just be a case of “give it time”; but time is fast running out without any improvement. We might get something from the home matches against Chelsea, Spurs & Man U. But, on the other hand (& in the light of performances & results so far), we may very well get nothing at all from these 3 games. The situation is critical. We could be into October with no points. Do you honestly think that there is any chance of this team getting wins from the next 3 home games – or even a draw ? IF we get to 7 games & no points that is 21 points lost so early in the season. Can you see any signs that this will not be the case ? Keeping my fingers crossed, I will always support West Ham but, in all honesty, they are pretty hopeless at the moment !
We lost Alladyce because of the fans . We lost Moyes because of the fans . ( Bilic was another story ) We have Pelligrini because of the fans . Cottee isn’t saying anything new . He wanted Moyes to be given a chance at the end of last season , as did I and a lot of other fans . Depends on who shouts the loudest I suppose . Looks like another season of trying to stay in the Premiership . 17th will do it .
Why are we so fickle? We demand players work harder, we want West Ham Way, we gavecdirectirsca hard time, everybody loved money spent and now it’s change the manager. Seriously, would we have seen some of the players we have at West Ham if it was not for Pelle? I’ll dupport and cheer West Ham even when they disappoint me. We still have a lot of time. Crystal Palace had no points after 7 games and recovered, So can we. Come on let us accept that a change in style of play takes time. Would not want to go back to boring football that Fst Sam and Moyes served. I’m confident things would turn around. Hard start to the season followed by an improved team would be great. COYI.❤️⚒
I failed to get excited during the summer and have posted on here a number of times about stability and giving Moyes a chance
I feel that it is shallow to equate Moyes with BFS – on a SUnday we put in a very good and exciting performance to beat Everton 3-1 and the following day Sullivan is busy interviewing “Zorro”
Surely the board should have sat down – and given Moyes the first interview and heard his plans before rushing off for an exotic manager
The reality of the Premier league is that the top six are fighting for Champions League spots and the other 14 teams are trying to ensure their survival – look at Burnley who are now at shorter odds than us for relegation after finishing 7th
Would the fans now complain if a heroic rear guard action enabled us to eke out a 1-0 win against one of our next three opponents?
It didn’t take me 4 defeats to saythat we should have kept Moyes. I was saying it when Pellegrini was still the rumor. The way Moyes was treated was disgraceful, after he had saved us from oblivion.He not only saved us from relegation but he also brought with him the best coaching staff we had seen for many years. If he was given decent funds, he would have given us stability and a very good brand of controlled attacking football, which is what he did at Everton ( he was never just a long-ball manager ).
On the other hand, he probably would not have bought the likes of Diop, Balbuena and Yarmolenko, or have paid so much for a player who was known to choose his games to perform in ( Anderson ).
I always said and would always say that I will support Pellegrini because he is West Hams’s manager, He must be given time to turn it round, and establish some stability in the club, but if it goes on as it has started then they will need to act quick. It is already getting critical. By the end of October we will know what needs to be done, but by then it could be too late. I’m glad I don’t have to make that decision.
If it comes to the worse, then Moyes would do another good job to save us, but this time with a better squad. I wonder how he would react to a cry for help a second time.
By the way, we must support Pellegrini and all the squad and staff, because we all want us to succeed.
100% behind Cottee’s comments: just what the three Stooges were thinking when they had a superb manager in Moyes, and then appointed this Muppet, well.only they know! If he stays, we’re down, it’s that simple
https://www.claretandhugh.info/cottees-strange-call-for-moyes-after-backing-pelle/
Agree with most of that Sleeps. I know how I would react to a cry from help if I was Moyes…..it would involve the use of two fingers😂😂😂😂