David Moyes has chosen to go public with what – it has to be admitted – is a pretty optimistic view of what he’d like to see happen at West Ham.
Given the present circumstances, he might have chosen a better time. With the club again in a state of instability and fan discontent, it’s a message that will probably be lost among the complaints currently being generated against the Irons.
And the truth is that after an outburst (or call it what you will ) from the players against the sale of Grady Diangana and an embarrassing defeat against AFC Bournemouth there’s unlikely to be many listening until at the very least we see some defensive reinforcements arrive at the club.
However, the manager, if nothing else is an optimist, in placing his hopes on the line where in a conversation with the Times: ‘he spoke of what he hopes will become our future.
He said: What I’d like is to build. To say to supporters, ‘I’m going to give you a team to be proud of. Something that is not going to be flaky. Something with consistency.
The ends [seating areas] have been brought in closer to the pitch at the stadium and I want fans to come back thinking, ‘We’ve got a team with exciting young talent that every week will give us total commitment.
‘I want players arriving like Soucek did [from Slavia Prague]: hungry to take the next step.’
Despite the Moyes’ declaration of intent, the season is just a week away and preparation has not been as smooth as it could have been. To convince he needs – along with the board – to get something done in a hurry.
Moyes is saying literally the complete opposite to the actions of the club both off and on the field in the last couple of days.
LOL
Everything changes; everything remains the same. Fine words, good intent; totally opposite action ie get rid of our best winger (a “young & hungry” player who has proved himself in the Championship) & soldier on with what we’ve got (who have, in the main, demonstrated that they are not young or hungry; & have not proved themselves in the Premier League). I look forward to this season with trepidation. If I was not a West Ham supporter I would have given up on such a club years ago !
Disappointed as I am about the sale of Grady,I don’t,t believe the club needs more protests which can be counterproductive at the very least.
I don’t have faith in gsb but the team needs everyone behind them and a really solid start to build some momentum.Lets back moyes and the boys
Wayne, I felt the same until recently but the recent actions and the fact that clearly the team (and probably the manager) are also unhappy led me to recognise that action is needed. “Behind the team, against the owners” seems like a good proposition
In selling Diangana to a relegation rival I think the club has sealed its fate. The club has lost the dressing room. Moyes is living in a fantasy world if he thinks he can club can build by selling its hot prospects.
60 years as a West Ham fan has seen some bizarre goings on and nothing changes. If we get nothing out of the Newcastle game (and given the performance against Bournemouth why would we) we play 6 of the top 8 in our next games 6 games so very likely to start November with nil points.
Expect Rice to have gone by the time the transfer window closes given how useless we are in building a team.
Mark, 63 years as a supporter & I think exactly the same as you. How can we get some realism involved in the running of this club. Yes, full support for the team, but things appear to be bad – & we haven’t even started yet ! Another season starting with fingers firmly crossed & hoping against hope.
I’m disappointed we sold Diangana, but the way everyone is going on you’d think we sold Moore or DiCanio… how many of the moaners would have legitimately had him in their starting XI a month ago?
He has promise and I like him too, but he wasn’t even starting regularly for West Brom.
What I can’t understand is why anyone would think that Moyes would be saying anything negative as the Manager of the club? Anyone who has worked as a manager in any company would realise that saying what you want will very quickly get you the sack or demotion. You have to be seen to tow the company line, including putting out positive statements regarding the club.
Having principles, and jacking it in won’t get you very far. Look at what Stuart Pearce’s straightforward comments did for his prospects a little while back?
Personally, I think the reason why Moyes has been quiet recently is that he is probably SEETHING and can’t talk right now as he probably feels that he has been undermined at every turn. Who knows, he may have even been close to resigning before being talked down, after the sale against his wishes. But Moyes is a proud and loyal man and probably still has the vision of this club going forward in his mind’s eye.
Apparently moyes told the board he didn’t want to sell dian and they overruled him..if this is the case there is major trouble brewing..moyes says he has last word on transfer so its not good at all…Wilson is going Newcastle for 20 mil wich is a bargain such a shame we couldn’t do that…protests aren’t great but its the only way to go to try and get these owners out …its just gone on to long… its car crash after car crash..players aren’t happy most fans aren’t happy at all in fact fuming, and who can blame them ..most ex professionals are saying what a mess this club is in, so we cant all be wrong….season hasn’t started and it’s really bad already…they have to go some how ..its crazy
Wilson is another sick note though buddy…he won’t last the season and we’ve signed enough crocks in our time.
I believe moyes has the right idea.
I don’t trust the board to back him though. I believe the only reason they bought moyes back in is because they knew he was a manager who could survive on a low budget. They stabbed moyes in the back the first time round to bring in Pellegrini and spending big on Pellegrini was a gamble that failed miserably. Now they are stabbing moyes in the back a second time by not giving him the funds to achieve his aims. Ok he now has been given some money to spend finally but it’s come at the cost of selling our best academy product in Diangana and the morale of the team and the supporters. I feel sorry for Moyes because all of his time at West Ham has been spent putting out fires caused by the board. I think he’s capable of turning us round but he’s swimming against the tide.
The Club is no longer a circus it’s a car crash.
At the same time Moyes is saying “I’m going to give you a team to be proud of. Something that is not going to be flaky. Something with consistency.” we play worse than a pub team.
I can’t see how Moyes can turn this around with the squad we have, the few additions we’re likely to make and the first two months fixtures. I think it’s highly likely Rice will disappear before the window closes and with him will go our chances of staying up.
The only positive is that we won’t be in the stadium to see the car crash in its full glory.
Moyes is saying the right things, he can’t control what the board do, we need to rebalance the squad so we have capable defenders. If the only way to get Moyes money was to sell an asset so be it, rather Diangana than Rice, I suspect the protest had far more to do with the potential sale of Rice than it did Diangana. It was a fire across the bows to say if you think Diangana was bad check out what will happen if you sell Rice. That’s my suspicion but no idea of course, Grady seemed popular and had the right attitude unlike more illustrious team mates.
I just don’t understand the sudden opinion that Diangana was some kind of Messiah. I never heard Noble saying anything a year ago when he went out on loan, so why the sudden disappointment? Grady had a decent Carabao debut (but against Chesterfield, for Christ’s sake), followed by half a dozen lacklustre Prem games when he was subbed. I saw all of them and looked lightweight and unable to consistently beat his man or pose a goal threat. He went to West Brom and wasn’t a ‘first name on the team sheet’ there. Then he has a half decent game against League 1 Ipswich in a friendly and we’re all over him. How many of us would have had him as a regular starter this season if we had the choice?
Sure, it’s disappointing to see an Academy product sold, but for £18million? We might be proved wrong, but I don’t think so.