Speculation is heightening that David Moyes could be the man to replace Sam Allardyce, should our current manager part ways with the club this summer. I keep reading that Moyes is more capable of taking a team to ‘the next level’ than Allardyce who is, apparently, only an expert in mere survival. Furthermore the assertion goes that, with Moyes, we will play a better brand of football with younger players being brought through the ranks. This leads me to ask the question: would appointing Moyes produce a significant improvement in the fortunes of West Ham United?
Big Sam’s Premier League managerial career began in August 2001, after his Bolton side beat Moyes’ Preston 3-0 in the play-off final in Cardiff. Let us now compare the top flight finishes, and transfer outlay, of both managers. Sam’s Premier League record stands at:
Bolton
2001/02 – 16th
2002/03 – 17th
2003/04 – 8th
2004/05 – 6th
2005/06 – 8th
2006/07 – 7th (left with two games to go)
Newcastle
2007/08 – left in January with club in 11th
Blackburn
2008/09 – 15th (joined in December)
2009/10 – 10th
2010/11 – left in December with club in 13th
West Ham
2012/13 – 10th
2013/14 – 13th
2014/15 – currently 9th
Average position: 11th
Total expenditure: £122.1m
Moyes’ record stands at:
Everton
2001/02 – 15th (joined in March)
2002/03 – 7th
2003/04 – 17th
2004/05 – 4th
2005/06 – 11th
2006/07 – 6th
2007/08 – 5th
2008/09 – 5th
2009/10 – 8th
2010/11 – 7th
2011/12 – 7th
2012/13 – 6th
Man Utd
2013/14 – 7th
Average position: 8th.
Total expenditure: £199m.
For a transfer outlay that is £77m larger than Allardyce, Moyes has an average position which is only three places higher up the Premier League ladder than Allardyce’s.
A criticism that I have read of Allardyce is that he has never won anything. At the top level, neither has Moyes (one Community Shield aside). Both managers have won lower league titles. However, I would argue that success is relative. Allardyce did a remarkable job at Bolton, exceeded expectations at Blackburn and has done everything asked of him at West Ham. Moyes, similarly, did an outstanding job with Everton. When it comes to the domestic Cup competitions, both have a comparable record:
Allardyce
Number of Quarter-Finals – 6
Number of Semi-Finals – 3
Number of Finals – 1 (League Cup 2004, lost 2-1 to Middlesbrough)
Moyes
Number of Quarter-Finals – 5
Number of Semi-Finals – 4
Number of Finals – 1 (FA Cup 2009, lost 2-1 to Chelsea)
I remember Moyes’ Everton playing in a similar style to Allardyce’s former sides. For Bolton’s long ball up to Kevin Davies with Kevin Nolan feeding on scraps, read Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill for Everton. For those who want to see a more positive approach away at the top clubs than we have seen this season (at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad for example), don’t expect anything different under Moyes. As the manager of an opposing team at the homes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool (the top four clubs of the last 15 years), Moyes has failed to register a victory in 53 attempts. Allardyce has won three away games at the same clubs over the same period – hardly commendable in itself but still three more than Moyes who also had a season managing one of these very clubs (incidentally West Ham’s record at these clubs since 2001 stands at five wins).
As for young players, admittedly Moyes gave opportunities to the likes of Wayne Rooney, Jack Rodwell, Ross Barkley and John Stones – these, however, are top-drawer players who cannot be ignored. While Rooney and Rodwell made big-money moves to the Manchester clubs, our best youth products of recent years finished this season at the likes of MK Dons and Colchester – the comparative quality just hasn’t been there of late in our Academy, the blame for which cannot be laid at Allardyce’s door.
I should make it very clear that this is not a ‘pro-Sam’ piece. If we can get a significantly better replacement, then I am all for progress under a better (or even potentially better) manager. My concerns regarding a potential Moyes move are that he has proven himself too similar to Allardyce in terms of tactics, style of football and results. For a £77m difference in transfer outlay, is an average of three Premier League places and one more domestic cup semi-final really evocative of a marked improvement? Speaking personally, the answer would have to be ‘no’…