David Moyes admits timing right for ‘big potential’ West Ham to change manager
David Moyes bowed out from his final home game as West Ham boss in magnanimous fashion, admitting the club now need ‘something new’ to build on the expectations he feel he has raised at the club.
By winning the Conference League last year, West Ham United tasted their first proper European silverware since the 1965 Cup Winners’ Cup in this second spell for Moyes – and they liked that taste so much that they now want a manager who can deliver more of it.
David Moyes expecting big things from Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham
The Scot had previously hoped that he may be able to agree a contract renewal with the club to take him beyond this season, but a suitable offer was not forthcoming with West Ham instead looking at alternative appointments.
The side’s form has tumbled in the meantime, but their 3-1 victory over Luton Town on Saturday afternoon means the Hammers are guaranteed a top-half finish for the third time in Moyes’ fourth full season of his current tenure having been brought in midway through the 2019/20 season with the brief of steering them away from the threat of relegation.
Former Real Madrid and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui (with his CV that will never stop feeling weird) will succeed Moyes this summer.
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Moyes told the Standard after the game: “Sometimes all you hear is negative stuff, but the best part of 50,000 people stayed behind after the final whistle.
“To join a football club and do something is not easy for any manager. Hopefully I’ll walk away with people saying I’ve done something here and that expectations have been raised.
“When I came in I was asked to steer them away from relegation, and people were saying I was good at that…but now this is a club that’s saying we want to be in Europe every year. It’s a big turnaround in that time.”
The departing Hammers boss added: “I do believe it’s the right decision for both me and the club.
“West Ham’s got so much potential, so much to improve on loads and loads of things, and if they do that they can go again – and that’s what I hope they can do.
“The next step will be to keep going upwards, and this is the chance to probably get something new they are looking for.”
West Ham will round off their season by visiting title hopefuls Manchester City next Sunday afternoon.
