David Moyes is convinced that Patrice Evra is the right man for the Hammers and one he can rely on after the behaviour he showed towards him following his Old Trafford sacking.
The French left back showed Moysie total commitment and contacted him telling him how sorry he was to see him go.
And that may well have influenced the 54 year old Hammers manager’s decision to bring him into the London Stadium as an out of contract player.
The Sunday Mirror reports that Moyes felt Evra gave him his full commitment throughout his ill-fated 10-month spell in charge at Old Trafford.
A source said: “When David left United, he was contacted by a few of the players. One of those was Patrice, who made it clear that he was sad to see him go and that maybe a few of the senior players at United had let the manager down.
“David appreciated Patrice’s words – and they parted on good terms. When Evra became available, David knew that he was signing a player he could rely on.”
Loyalty to Mr Moyes is no substitute for competence, fitness for purpose and readiness to compete in the PL with age on your side. But why should reasoning and rationality get in the way of sloppy sentimentalism? Well, read Mr Sullivan’s revelation at Read West Ham and you’ll see he’s had an epiphany…maybe he went on a Tui road trip to Damascus!
If the reported reasons for signing Evra are accurate, then it’s starkly at odds with the report on Read West Ham. There Mr Sullivan is presenting himself as a ‘reconstructed’ strategist.
Hailing a break with the unprofessional past – thanks for ‘fessing up at last Mr Sullivan, how about ‘sorry fans? – he has revealed that a new analytical and systems based ‘strategy’ for player recruitment is being unveiled. Headed, presumably, by a new Director of Recruitment who eats cous cous and ndizi mbichi (aka green bananas cooked with onions and meat in a coconut liquor – try it, it’s feckin’ superb African cuisine).
Crossed my mind that Mr Sullivan had taken heed of some of the postings at C&H …probably not, some devious consultant or more has tipped him off.
Presumably Evra’s signing was the pilot for testing Mr Sullivan’s new ‘analytical system’. Or was it, hopefully, the last of the ‘old school’ summer wine approach to knee-jerk signing.
Love Patrice, as I would anyone named for the great hero Lumumba – Samir Nasri, too – and would have killed to get him/them for the Irons even four years ago….but Patrice now at 36, really?
Mr Sullivan’s highly vaunted new analytical system must have thrown-up a teething problem, or maybe a Gremlin….or was it simply addiction to ‘old school’ knee-jerk desperation? I wish Patrice very well, and I wish Mr Sullivan a long and happy post-sale retirement. God bless Vic Keeble and Jimmy Ruffell ….COYI
Why are some posters so long winded?