David Moyes will have to win the Europa League to “even get near” an extension to his West Ham contract, according to Graeme Bailey.
The HITC journalist told Hammers News on 28 February that the Irons boss’ proposed new deal was “never close” even before it was shelved in the wake of being thrashed 6-0 at home by Arsenal on 11 February, and it will become clear from the club what the future holds if and when the European campaign ends.
Chairman David Sullivan is said to not be a “happy chappy” behind the scenes at the London Stadium, thanks to extensive off-field issues at the club, having brought in technical director Tim Steidten who Moyes doesn’t want to work with.
Bailey says the German was appointed because the club want to “push forward” yet the manager is “old fashioned” and not pleased with the dynamic, so while there won’t be a change in the dug-out midseason he’s convinced that at least one of Steidten and Moyes will be gone by next term.
Bailey said: “There’s quite a split in the camp. We’re talking about a manager who was on the brink last season and if he hadn’t have won the European cup he’d have been gone anyway.
“The fact is if you win a European trophy and still don’t get a new contract that’s not a good sign. I don’t think at any point this season it was particularly close…
“But with Moyes there’s so many factors off field going against him, I just don’t see how they can do it…
“Let’s not beat around the bush, the off-field issues – and there are off-field issues – David Sullivan’s brought in a technical director in Tim Steidten to make his life easier. And it’s not really made his life easier. And it’s not Tim Steidten’s fault but clearly David Moyes does not want to work with someone – not Tim – but just that he’s an old fashioned manager and doesn’t want to work with a sporting/technical director, especially one who isn’t from his group, his own team.
“It doesn’t take a genius to realise it’s going to come to a head in the summer. Steidten and Moyes won’t both be at West Ham next season, I think that’s fair to say.”
David Moyes must win West Ham the Europa League to keep his job with David Sullivan not pleased
Moyes and Steidten apparently not getting along behind the scenes has been a regular suggestion since the latter arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.
Sullivan knows the Scot better than most so surely should have realised that the arrangement might not work out well if it goes against the 60-year-old’s view of the job, or his increasingly-outdated tactics.
It therefore very much gives the impression that Steidten was lined up to kickstart a new era at the London Stadium, and was perhaps even going to be tasked with finding a new manager ahead of this season, only for Sullivan to pull back from ending the previous era when Moyes lifted the Europa Conference League trophy.
David Sullivan has a David Moyes decision to make at West Ham United.
That has apparently left the old and the new overlapping, and while they have managed to co-exist so far to the extent that the summer transfer window was belatedly quite good, and even now after a dire run of form in the New Year the Premier League table doesn’t look too bad.
The 4-2 win over Brentford on Monday (26 February) was a reminder of what this side can do even with the uncomfortable situation behind the scenes, but it feels unsustainable for the long-term and Steidten looks like he might be keeping his options open for if Sullivan doesn’t back him.
In other West Ham news, a BBC Sport pundit launched into a rant about the Moyes situation at the London Stadium.