5 contenders to be next West Ham manager if David Moyes is sacked
Moyes looks set to leave the Hammers before the summer after a winless run that stretches back into 2023
David Moyes‘ position as West Ham manager is under threat just seven months after leading them to a first major trophy in four decades.
Scores of fans walked out of their 6-0 rout by London neighbours Arsenal earlier this month, and after a winless run of eight games in all competitions the club is believed to be in the process of sounding out replacements.
Moyes’ contract expires at the end of the season and while it has been reported the club were set to offer him a two-year extension, his future looks increasingly uncertain.
An uninspiring style of play and overcautious tactics have repeatedly come in for harsh criticism, despite West Ham still being in the top half of the table.
Fans unrolled a “Moyes Out” banner during their latest defeat, a 2-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
After that loss at the City Ground, Moyes said: “Maybe they [the fans] want a change. Maybe they have had managers who excite them more. But the one who is sitting here wins more.”
i looks at the contenders who could replace him.
Graham Potter
Potter is a clear-cut example of someone with a more exciting style of play than Moyes, for which many fans have been calling. He did an excellent job in a three-year spell at Brighton, leaving them fourth in the table when he departed for Chelsea, and his name has been bandied about as an eventual successor to England manager Gareth Southgate.
But he floundered with the Blues and was axed after just seven months in charge, losing 11 out of 31 games, and has since been out of work since April 2023.
His high-risk, high-reward playing style won admirers at Brighton and would make a welcome change for many from Moyes’ defensive set-up. Potter’s possession-based, attacking football may be the best way to tap into Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus’ attacking potential.
The former Swansea City manager has Premier League experience and, ignoring a dismal interlude at Chelsea, was highly regarded both at the Wales club and the first side he managed, Swedish outfit Ostersunds FK, who he took from the fourth tier to the Europa League.
Julen Lopetegui
Julen Lopetegui won the Europa League with Sevilla in 2020 after just a year in charge but was then sacked in October 2022. He was a big-name appointment for Wolves later that year, having previously (briefly) managed Real Madrid, and he is reportedly keen on a move back to the Premier League.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Julen Lopetegui, Manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers, looks on prior to the pre-season friendly match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Luton Town at Molineux on August 02, 2023 in Wolverhampton, England.
His wider managerial CV has been similarly hit and miss, getting the axe from Madrid after a 5-1 defeat by Barcelona but rescuing Wolves from the drop. They eventually finished 13th, up from bottom when he joined, in 2023. But the Spaniard left the club that summer out of frustration over budget constraints and transfer policy.
He may be more positive about West Ham, who enjoy far greater squad depth than Wolves and should have more room to manoeuvre in the transfer window.
Previously head coach of the Spanish national side, his tactical abilities also fit the profile of other managers on this list. At Sevilla he promoted high-tempo attacking football and over-achieved considering the squad he had available.
Steve Cooper
Former Nottingham Forest boss Cooper was hugely popular at the City Ground but was sacked after just two years in December. He took the side from bottom of the Championship to promotion in 2021-2022 and weathered a storm of poor results the following season to keep a much-changed squad in the Premier League.
