Thank you Mr Moyes

Thank you Mr Moyes

By Simon Leyland

After 1009 games in professional football management, David Moyes has finally lifted a major trophy…with West Ham.

From the moment Jarrod Bowen started his run late in the game in Prague, you could sense it..

An eye of the needle pass from Lucas Paqueta, a perfect finish from Bowen, the West Ham end erupting with joy and the Hammers’ technical area echoing the chaos. It was special.

That was it. That was the sucker punch. Fiorentina had done exceptionally well to quell the storm once inside the Eden Arena, pulling back level after West Ham took the lead from the penalty spot. But conceding on the cusp of injury time was just too much. This was West Ham’s moment…. Moyes’ moment.

If it wasn’t Moyes’ moment during those 90 or so minutes, it most certainly was when that full-time whistle blew, just as much as it was West Ham’s. The man from Glasgow had finally done it. He’d won his first major honour, 25 years into his managerial career.

He’s seen it all, has Our Supremo. A quiet yet commendable playing career finished in 1998, and saw Moyes roll straight into football management with Preston North End, the club at which he’d retired .

Soon after, we’d be talking about the Scot as one of the most promising up-and-coming managers in the game, for his efforts with Everton throughout the 2000s. A steely look, a no-nonsense approach and a desire to stamp his authority. Old school, this lad.

But no amount of success with the Toffees would’ve ever prepared him for the opportunity he’d be handed in 2013; being hand-picked by Sir Alex Ferguson to replace him at Manchester United. And you could tell, because he fell flat on his face.

Fifteen years or so of hard work from the dugout, entirely undone in about 10 months or so, Good going, Dave. Was fun while it lasted.

Except that wasn’t the full story. Moyes went from hot property to Mr. Misunderstood. A bit of an identity crisis followed in the form of a failed venture to Spain to manage Real Sociedad, but we won’t talk about that.

The reputation had been seemingly permanently damaged, with the Glaswegian only seemingly worthy of relegation-level jobs from here on in. After steering West Ham to safety in 2018 and leaving the club, you’d think his story in Stratford was complete. Nope. We now know that this was just the beginning.

A year later and Moyesy was back in the dance at the London Stadium., certainly not the most popular decision at the time, but the Irons knew he could do the job. Been through the ringer and back.

At no point, though, did the appointment ever look like one that would see West Ham embark on two European tours and finish the second one by winning their first major trophy in 43 years.

“You don’t get many moments like this!” proclaimed Moyes after the full-time whistle. Humble in victory. At least for now.

To be the man to guide West Ham to that first major honour in over 40 years is an achievement that will forever be remembered, and ensures he goes down in our history. And rightly so. He’s far from perfect, but he knows his stuff. Old school. A pragmatist. A dying breed.

Thank you David