David Moyes has fired a warning to David Sullivan and Karren Brady about West Ham amid growing tensions and heightened press speculation.
West Ham head to Everton on Monday night for a reunion with their most successful manager of the modern era, David Moyes.
Moyes achieved many things at West Ham.
Whether that was the club’s record ever Premier League points tally, sixth, seventh and ninth-placed finishes, three consecutive seasons in Europe or winning a first major trophy for 43 years.
But it says everything that his biggest achievement was probably putting a halt to growing unrest and uprising from fans towards David Sullivan and Karren Brady.
Fans were protesting against the board again when the pandemic struck.
Now everyone sees Moyes’ biggest West Ham achievement
When football returned – and especially by the time fans were allowed back – Moyes had West Ham on a completely different trajectory.
While the resentment from fans has never gone away, it is the nature of the game that vastly improved results on the pitch saw it subside.
Sullivan and Brady were shielded from the ire of Hammers supporters for over four years.
What has transpired since the Scot’s departure has brought the board crashing back down to earth.
There is chaos and civil war unfolding again in east London.
While the team’s decline on the pitch undoubtedly started at the end of Moyes’ watch, he was – at the very least – as safe a pair of hands as you could get in the event of a crisis.
Which is what West Ham find themselves in now they meet again.
Fans are protesting again. And this time improved results on the pitch won’t stop them until they see the top-to-bottom changes being demanded after a vote of no confidence in the ownership.
There is no lack of irony to the fact Moyes could be the man who spells the end of another manager failing to succeed him.
Hammers fans feel Graham Potter is a symptom of West Ham’s ills rather than the cause.
Moyes fires warning to Sullivan and Brady about West Ham
That doesn’t mean he is the solution of course – but it has at least bought the Englishman some grace among fans who are more focused on those above him.
Inevitably after just six wins from 25 games over nine months, Potter is under huge pressure.
Nuno Espirito Santo is reportedly lined up to replace him in the international break as the head coach is left as a sitting duck for daunting games away to Moyes’ Everton and Arsenal.
Fan group Hammers United have warned the owners they will not accept another short-term managerial “fix”.
They feel it would be a convenient way for the board to deflect attention from them and drum up some positivity and hope around the team.
Potter has suggested he’s not the problem at West Ham as his side head to Everton’s wonderful new stadium.
Now he has some high-profile backing too.
Moyes has fired a warning to Sullivan and Karren Brady about West Ham
The former Hammers boss knows exactly how tough the job can be and the conditions Potter is working under.
And the former manager did not beat around the bush when addressing rumours around Potter’s impending sack.
But, somewhat surprisingly, Moyes also spoke up for the owners too.
Although the Scot rather interestingly made a subtle point that Potter has not had the backing to overhaul the team, saying many of West Ham’s players were his signings.
Moyes on Potter, West Ham’s owners and subtle squad dig
“Graham Potter’s an excellent manager,” Moyes said in his latest Everton press conference.
“His record at Brighton, and getting the Chelsea job. You don’t get those jobs without a certain quality of management.
“He’s probably finding it quite difficult at the moment, but overall, he’s an excellent manager and I have no doubt he’ll be a success.”
“It’s great to see them all. I had a big relationship with so many of the players and staff, and everybody at the club. It was good. We had some great times together.
“They were really good people to work for.
“I always look forward to seeing them because I brought in many of the players who are there.”
Moyes clearly believes Potter’s ability will come to the fore.
The big question is, do West Ham’s owners?
