By Hugh Southon
David Moyes is not my type of manager.
I’ve never made a secret of that. Manuel Pellegrini was much more my type of boss and I’m sick it all went so badly wrong. It was never meant to end that way.
With the arguments raging on both sides this is no time for knee jerk reactions from anybody. All that matters is beating Bournemouth on Wednesday and allowing the man time to sort things.
And whilst I am no fan, I accept he is the chosen and probably logical candidate and as a supporter my job is to support. That’s the end of that.
It’s not gonna be pretty but we’ve had pretty and pretty failed. Now is the time for reality, hard work, fitness, application and any the other words you wanna apply.
The appointment was made because there was no time to negotiate with employed managers – it had to be done now – and because he’s been here before and done it.
With £7 million – £10 million being paid out to Pellegrini and his not so merry men the board were in no mood anyway to find the same again for somebody who may or may not succeed.
We can moan about that as much as we like but that’s the reality and we need to get on with it under a manager who did the job required previously.
Can he do it again? There’s no reason why not because as he says, this is a much better squad than the one he inherited the last time.
Yes Pochetinno would have been marvelous but he’s destined for Man City or wherever. That was fantasy.
Eddie Howe was a big fans favourite but Bournemouth’s position isn’t great and he won’t leave until that’s sorted or maybe not at all.
Look at the bookies’ list and the names were incredibly unappetising – we are where we are.
Moyes is back – I may not like it but I get it!
Sorry but the board did have time to sort out. Look at Everton as an example. Their board acted decisively when it became apparent Silva had lost the dressing room and searched for the best available option.
Essentially the club do not have the resources to compete in the top half of the league. The footballing world has simply outgrown our owners and they need to sell up if we are ever going to progress.
You think Ancelotti would have come. No cos of the money thing. They won’t sell up – the club is going to Jack. That is reality hard though it may be to take
Agree virtually entirely with Hugh.
Reality means just that, and our immediate need is for graft and hard work, hopefully enhanced by the qualities of some of our flair players.
If all the first team squad knuckle down and really work for each other, then all of them will look better players.
I’m not a major Moyes fan either, but the fans must get behind him, whatever system he adopts, and the team.
Supporting should not be about moaning, we all so very easily fall into that trap, it should be about being supportive.
We have some really tough games coming up in the league. In the next 8 games, included are a full strength Leicester away, Man City away, and Liverpool twice.
The team need positivity coming from the terraces in spades.
Can the supporters and the squad deliver??
If you read the piece Robert or something earlier he was the one they were always going back to anyway
When we played Palace at home Haller scored a great team goal that was certainly pretty football – then we conceded two scrappy set piece goals
I did not see that as a moral victory (our one goal was better than their two goals combined) but felt gutted at losing after leading.
Maybe other supporters see it differently but after this season so far I would accept a few 1-0 wins with a scrappy goal and diehard defending
Anyway Hugh – look on the bright side – last time you even started calling the manager Moysie so he must have done something right lol
As Westham supporters, we take what we are given. It has always been that way.
Through good, bad and indifferent we the real supporters will carry on doing what we do.
Cheer when it’s good, moan when it’s bad and threaten to give up and walk away when totally distraught. I for one am all of the above and will remain the same until I pass on.
The owners will do what they do regardless of the supporters. And we as supporters will do what we do and have always done. Support!
Imbedded in my soul and Westham till I die. COYI
A very well and thought out article hugh 👍
Cannot argue and agree with everything you have said but this us the guy that bought Hugill !
It was logical and he will keep us up but he will never get us to where we should be (top 6) which was where we should have been under Pelle before the wheels fell off and this absurd crises of confidence from our talented squad set in
If ever we needed a multi billionaire to buy the club it is now
Hughil was never given a chance, (esp under Pelle) and only ever played 20+ minutes for WH. It’s not right to label him a flop as the media always do.. He’s bagged 8 goals already at QPR. Maybe Moyes will give him another go?
Let’s get this straight.
We never played entertaining, scintillating football under Pellegrini.
We played some good stuff but like in the 2-0 win against Norwich is was goid.
But we never finished them off with a 4-0 thumping .
We had that happen to us against Oxford.
Relegation would of cost of more than the 8m odd we have had to pay Pellegrini.
Everton new the same with Silva, they acted and got rid. Maybe they got lucky with Ancelotti getting the sack at the right time.
There is always good managers around.
They will come to the PL as it’s the best.
We unfortunately have the worst innour board.
No let’s get THIS straght. Every time you come on here. It’s to moan about the board – change the record or go back to Twitter. Were u complaining when Pelle came.No – nor were you here. Just transporting your twitter rubbish that’s all. Don’t use this formum for your rage therapy
Hugh
That’s completely wrong as I had his misgivings about his stay in China but hoped it work out to the next level. You’ve been a supporter of the board and if you take that personally then that’s your problem.Believe it or not 95% of the fans loathe the board and want rid.That’s why many fans ridicule you.
As for rage therapy that’s a new one.
If this is a forum let people disagree without you getting all sensitive and banning folks.
Btw I don’t use TWITTER,don’t know where you get that from.Probably your in depth journalistic skills.
I doubt you’ll post this anyway.
Of course I’ll post it. Listen, I support the board because there is no other board and they won’t put the club up for sale. Slamming them, me and anyone who disagrees with you and the others involved in anti board feelings is about as counter productive and pointless as it gets.They are going nowhere and for some to be constantly on their backs, threatening demos or whatever, is destabilising and really non supportive of the club. I have written various pieces criticising but this constant nonsense becomes boring, predictable and non productive. I take nothing personally nor do I accuse you of the same for holding an opposite view. Respect of other people’s views is not prevelant in this social media age. With a following of nearly half a million people, giving abuse about my position is expected but I’m as entitled to my attitude as you and others are.If you don’t like it you have an alternative. Jack Sullivan will take over this club eventually. Hopes of a sale are zero so what’s the point of going on and on and on. Why have a go at me if it’s not a rage thing? You are making your points because you see me as being up theirs.Pretty sad and thus rage therapy at some level or other. As if it’s gnna make a difference ….SIGH! Your closing remarks which are aimed at contempt really tell me all I need to know about your attitude
And to add, this is a football site. It is not here for people to make wild 95 pc generalisations about people’s attitude towards individuals. I assume you must have an algorithm for counting them anyway? Yes it’s a forum and I will answer for my part if that’s ok with you. Sensitivity is perception. Not reality. If I am asked for a view or feel like responding to yours I will as the creator of the website and forum. I ban for foul mouthed personal abuse only. if that spoils personal prejudices sorry but that’s how it is. Hope that helps
Effort is the new pretty. Whoever is or was appointed they would get my support until THEY lost it. Good luck Moyes
Well said Hugh … well said. As a former footballer and coach myself, and as a die-hard WH supporter, I fully understand your sentiments.
Pelligrini has messed up good and solid with his lazy style. Mark N said a few weeks ago that he is not a shouter. That to me was the biggest eye-opener to what was going on. So without a necessary rant or 2 the players were never held accountable, warned and threatened (respectfully). So these overpaid and lazy brats had a merry old picnic.
Manager Moyes it totally the right manager to blast the rot out of the team, get them properly focused and fit again. And yes, the other popular coach names may not have that kind of expertise and personality. And the gumption to drop non-performers and even sell them.
So yes, I wish the new gaffer everything of the best and pray for great success in this season and the next.
Coyi. God bless West Ham.
Then we need to accept that relegation scraps and a partially empty 60,000 seater stadium are the future for our club.
I don’t see the point in following a club without ambition and aspiration.
Your call
Don’t see the point? Since when did logic or choice enter into it? West Ham Till I Die, as the saying goes …
Sorry you are wrong
I’ll put it out there first that I do not like our owners but can people stop using Everton as an example of how we should do things. They have a billionaire owner that is acting like a spoilt child in a sweet shop buying up players left right and Centre. Bernardo is a prime example, we wanted him but he wanted 250k a week, Everton would pay it and how’s that worked out. They are reported to be paying Ancelotti 11.5m a year. I do not want our club to be some play thing for a money mad egotist. I want our team to work hard for the badge and kick out the ego’s, bring through good young players and play some good football where possible. We need to stop this breaking the top 6 crap now because it is not doing our club any good. Let’s build a stable club that hopefully comes good. The premiership is now just a billionaires playground and I personally do not like it.
We didn’t have time to negotiate with anyone else?
That’s because they left it nearly 6 weeks too late before sacking Pellegrini. As usual they have planned it so they get the cheapest option they can and spin it as unfinished business 😂😂 I never had much of a problem with them but since we moved it’s proven they are liars who can’t see through on the promises they made we will never be more than what we are under them an average team fighting between 10th and bottom
I get it too cheap option no spending, all could have been done at the Boleyn
It’s all lies lies lies as the song which will soon be tonight out again goes
Agreed
I can honestly say I never wanted Pellegrini. His best years were long gone. He’d retired to China. Our problem is owners who know nothing about football but who use West Ham as their plaything. We are a big club with fantastic, enormous and loyal support. Our catchment area is huge. We will go nowhere until we get owners who match our fanbase.
To be fair to your new pal Moysie he had 42% wins at Everton which isn’t bad at all. I think he’ll do OK. We need at least one decent full back, a box to box midfielder, and another Premiership level striker. We all know this, we all knew this last summer. It just didn’t get through a couple of particularly thick skulls.
New pal ???? LOL
My feelings pretty much mirror your articles’ sentiments, Hugh. I also would add just because we failed with a manager who was ‘next level’ in our and the owners eyes, it shouldn’t put us off a similar route in future. I don’t buy the argument that we are a working class club and should know our place. Progression never occurs when one stands still, for whatever reason. We can and will be better than we are now, the owners just have to keep trying to find the manager they, and us, thought Pelle would be.
I’m not a board hater. In their shoes I would have tried the same thing, moving stadium, hiring Pelle, trying to move with the times. Maybe they promised things they shouldn’t have but that’s what you do when looking forward, you try to be as positive as possible. Now, like Moyes or not, we have to get behind him. The past has gone, here’s to the future
I don’t buy into this hatred thing – just small minded simplistic low iq stuff
I like simple. I like Moyes. He will stay if we get relegated.
If he get get us to mid-table for a few years then the club would be worth buying, so WHU could become like LVP and ManC, a team of foreigners for foreigners.
Totally agree with you Hugh good article.. I’m ok with moyes like you say we had the pretty…let’s get them organise d and working…..see Hugh I don’t moan all the time..lol 😊👍🙅🙅
I dpn’t mond a ruck or disagreement but I won’t take vile and untruthful abuse which you NEVER hand out buddy
Cheers Hugh happy new year ….🍺👍
Don’t tell Pepe guardiola hair is a qualification for good manager by the way