Forget David Moyes because West Ham fans should be more worried about who was sat next to him. David Moyes says he is not happy seeing his good work at West Ham being undone and yesterday he got to witness it in person.
West Ham started 2025 as they ended a dismal 2024, by suffering another heavy defeat. The Hammers followed up the demoralising 5-0 loss at home to Liverpool with a 4-1 thumping at Man City.
Liverpool could have easily beaten West Ham by several more. But perhaps more worrying was another pitiful collapse against a Man City side that were so far off anything like their best.
Pep Guardiola’s side were there for the taking, yet West Ham still conspired to lose 4-1. That was the ninth time Julen Lopetegui’s side have shipped three goals or more this season.
Hammers fans are baffled as to how or why Lopetegui remains their manager. Supporters chanted for the Spaniard to be sacked again at the Etihad.
The man he replaced was there to witness it too.
David Moyes set tongues wagging by making an appearance in the stands for the match.
In the week he credited West Ham for his OBE, Moyes watched on alongside his brother Kenny and son David junior. The Scot’s presence at the game sparked talk he could return for a third spell in east London.
Forget Moyes, look who sat next to him watching West Ham. West Ham have since responded to talk of a sensational Moyes return.
In the wake of his high-profile appearance to watch his old team, debate has raged again whether Moyes would be welcomed back.
And whether he would be doing a better job with the players Lopetegui now has at his disposal. But forget Moyes because West Ham fans should be more worried about who was sat next to him.
While the focus in the Etihad stands was understandably trained on Moyes, another out of work manager was sat close by.
His presence went undetected by many.
Although the eagle-eyed among fans may have spotted him. And he was on West Ham’s original shortlist to replace Moyes at the end of last season.
When West Ham started the process of sounding out their Moyes replacement, a journalist with strong contacts at the London Stadium named the four men on West Ham’s original shortlist.
They were Lopetegui, Steve Cooper, Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel.
Potter is said to have been on standby since agreeing to take over West Ham until the end of the season should Lopetegui be sacked.
Tuchel has since been named England boss.
And Cooper has since been hired and fired by Leicester. Hammers-linked Cooper also spotted at Etihad. Since his sacking by the Foxes, Cooper has once again been linked with the Hammers.
It is claimed the club like the idea of a manager who has a proven track record of working with and improving young players.
The prospect of appointing Cooper has never gone down well with Hammers fans, though.
He is not what many West Ham fans envisaged when they called for an innovative, modern coach to replace Moyes.
Well all the headlines may have been about Moyes, but Cooper was sat alongside him watching West Ham’s defeat to Man City.
And he certainly wouldn’t be in the mix to replace Guardiola at the Etihad would he. Given the links to Cooper, his presence is intriguing to say the least.
He would also be someone who clearly would not turn down the chance to take over at West Ham on a short-term contract.
Cooper’s record working with youngsters appeals to West Ham
West Ham have demanded improvement from Lopetegui.
The Hammers go to Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Friday night. Lose there and the club’s season is all but over.
West Ham will not realistically be in a relegation battle, are miles off the European places and will be out of both cups.
Should that happen, West Ham face 18 games playing for little more than midtable medicority.
So perhaps bringing in a temporary boss like Cooper to use the rest of the season to bring through some young players could be an option for West Ham’s owners?
Cooper’s presence at the game certainly raises the question given Lopetegui’s precarious position.
While many Hammers fans may not want Cooper, Nottingham Forest supporters credit him for laying the foundations of their push for a Champions League place this season.
