Gav Asks Whether Time Will Soften The Views Of Those Most Staunchly ‘Moyes Out’
Some time ago I shared my former admiration of David Moyes’ Everton and my wishes, at the time, that he would one day manage West Ham. When I looked at the likes of Leighton Baines, John Stones and others I felt that he was the kind of manager capable of developing, and getting the best out of, a player and the team. Looking at the likes of Jarrod Bowen’s time under him at West Ham I’d put that argument up there for discussion on any platform.
It wasn’t, however, just getting the best out of players. His Everton side would constantly get good results against West Ham and I wanted to see that kind of winning formula brought to our club.
I wonder if some of David Moyes’ harsh critics will soften their view in the coming years? I’ve always contested that the football we’ve watched, in his time at West Ham, has been nowhere near as bad as some have made out and I stand by that. Many of those who’ve shared their dim view of him have hinted at a dislike of his persona, demeanour and style of presentation…and, as much as they would deny it, I believe have had their judgment clouded by his, shall we say, less than effervescent nature. I’m not suggesting that he’s dour but you wouldn’t say he’s up at Harry Redknapp levels of charisma…which has, probably, gone against him a little.
Anyone who read my article on Apr 9th , “Stay In Your Lane Little West Ham…Says the Sporting Media!” will know that I, like many others on West Ham socials, have felt that we’ve been misrepresented and painted in a poor light as a bunch of ungrateful so & sos. I do, however, wonder if they are partially correct in saying that some West Ham fans have been a little unfair to the Scot.
Shortly after lockdown I had parked at Hackney Marshes car park and walked along the river to the Bowl with Sam. On the way out of the ground a fellow Hammer was walking a short distance in front of us and turned to us to let us know that he’d had enough of David Moyes and wanted him out. I don’t recall the exact game but do remember this was an early game in the season twenty twenty-one to twenty-two…when we’d just qualified for the Europa League. Fast forward to the January of that season I first started to read anti-Moyes social media posts. I believe that I wrote about it at the time. I was amazed that we were playing group stage European football and there were West Ham fans unhappy with the manager. So much so that I genuinely thought the voices of discontent were fans of other clubs attempting to drive wedges into our fanbase.
But those voices grew and grew until, it seemed, that there were as many who wanted the Gaffer removed as there were that wanted him to stay…and, it seemed, that, on social media sites, there were more ‘out’ than ‘in’.
Personally I got tired of the same arguments being trotted out time and again. I’m sure that I wasn’t the only one. Despite some similarities to the situation with Mr Allardyce David Moyes has never disrespected the club and us fans in the same way. No cupping of ears, denial of our traditions and ‘The West Ham Way’ and calling us deluded…David Moyes has always spoken of how proud he’s been to manage our club.
So I ask, in years to come, do you think that Moyesie will be remembered with a fondness by some of those who repeatedly campaigned for his removal? Will time soften their views? Will they watch back the wins against Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal and the Spuds with smiles on their faces and warmth in their hearts? Will they reflect on some of those incredible European nights and that special time in Prague when forty-three years of pain were put to bed with the Trophy win or will they still speak of how unbearably awful the football was and, in some extreme cases, how they wished West Ham to lose so that he got the tin tack (a view that I can’t understand and, in my humble opinion, should never be held by a real West Ham fan…hang your heads in shame I say).
Nowadays I don’t hear any ‘it was time for him to go’ or ‘I was fed up with it’ comments when it comes to John Lyall’s time in the managerial hotseat…but back then there were many calling for him to be removed from his position. So perhaps we do have a very unforgiving element amongst us who like to make a lot of noise and create a perception, within the wider football community, that the majority are for change?
Commiserations to the Under Twenty-Ones who went out of the Premier League Two play off quarter-final, against Sunderland, five-three on penalties. The game saw four goals in extra time, with the Irons taking the lead twice, before it went to spot kicks.
