When I first started writing this piece it was before the managerial change. I’ll be including some of what I began to pen as it’s very relevant in terms of, what I perceive to be, David Moyes’ intended MO. So I was considering the question ‘whose responsibility is a player’s fitness?’ The problem with my question was that it, in essence, was looking to apportion blame. Listening to DM’s first press conference he’s quite clear in his approach. He may well put the players through their paces but woe betide them if they don’t ‘run’.
The international break is a blessing and a curse for our new gaffer. It’s great that he has time to settle and put preparations in place for the Watford match but unfortunate that many players are away on international duty. From what I could gather he’s not deterred by the negative aspect of the timing of his appointment and has got stuck straight in to training sessions and player engagement.
They need a bit of confidence, a bit of self belief – one or two tweaks in organisation and hopefully I can get a positive looking team
Although John Angus Lyall wasn’t born in Scotland both of his parents were and moved to Ilford not long before he was born. With the notable exception of Lou Macari Scottish links with West Ham have been mostly successful down the years. Let’s hope that, Macari apart, David Moyes is another successful Scot.
From his first press conference I was particularly encouraged to hear, what I consider, to be the meat on the bone of his view of the current situation with the first team. DM commented “I think I’ve got good players,” adding “They just need a bit of confidence, a bit of self-belief.” He continued with an encouraging degree of certainty “One or two tweaks in organisation and, hopefully, I can get a positive looking team.” Telling and heartening stuff IMO. We’ve all had our differences about how Slaven has organised his team but we’ve also been virtually unanimous in our recognition that he’s made tactical errors. It’s quite clear that David Moyes is well aware of those errors and, from what he’s already had to say, whilst paying due respect to Slaven, he fully intends not to make the same mistakes.
I think I’ve got good players
Stuart Pearce has stated that he’s keen to speak with David about a role in his coaching team. As far as a work ethic is concerned Moyes has been clear that he won’t put up with any, as he phrased it, “you know what.” With Stuart Pearce alongside him in training I rather suspect the mission of introducing that work ethic and discipline will be more successful. I would love to see ‘Psycho’ on the coaching team. I also think he’d work extremely well with Moyes.
My most recent article discussed the position that Slaven found himself in when he joined the club making it less of a priority to ‘Build from the back’ (in terms of building the team and not in terms of building moves during a game). During the press conference the new manager has made it quite clear that being more organised in defence is a key requirement and one that he will give a good deal of focus to. He, quite cleverly, answered a question about Mr Allardyce’s inability to recognise a ‘West Ham Way’ by stating that the first order of business is to win but that if this can be done by playing ‘attacking’ and ‘entertaining’ football then all well and good – whether that’s immediately or further down the line. Frankly this is how Mr Allardyce should have answered the, similar, question when he first took over but his obsession with ‘Rhino Skin’, at the time, seemed to get in the way of paying any respect to the traditions of our club. Bravo David Moyes! You’re winning us over already.
The only area that I thought he could have approached better was his ‘year to year contract’ comment. You can’t build for what you want, and how you want to play, when you don’t know if you’re going to be around this time next year. David’s ten years at Everton proved that. David is a football manager. David is good planning long term. David doesn’t do speedboat turns because he’s more of an ocean liner. Be more like David. I also thought the comment was made with just a smidgeon of sycophancy towards the owners and I want to see him stand up and be strong whilst not being pushed around by the board. That said David Moyes needs to gain a strong foothold by securing West Ham’s Premier League status this season so, I guess, he’s new and doesn’t want to start by rocking the boat but I’d have expected him to state his intention to make the job his own for years to come.
So our new first team boss thinks that the squad is good enough. To be good enough they need to be fit enough. Well, frankly, get them fit enough and they’ll be good enough. Good to hear that this is another priority. Also good to hear DM say “Need to find ways and room to get young players in” when discussing academy prospects.
Need to find ways and room to get young players in.
For me, being on record on this blog for stating ‘Moyes will take us down,’ I’m beginning to lean in to a little bit of a speedboat turn myself. A Stuart Pearce appointment would certainly give me more confidence – especially where getting, and maintaining, squad fitness is concerned and I’d be rotating the metaphorical steering wheel of my opinion boat with more assurance if he does join. I sincerely hope that I am proved wrong about my prediction and I genuinely wish David Moyes all the best in his time as manager of our great club. Another one who I like as a person. He wears his heart on his sleeve and speaks his mind and I find that far easier to trust than the more corporate type who generally say the opposite of what they think.
I couldn’t write this without saying a huge thank you to Slaven Bilic. I liked him a lot and really, really wanted him to do well. In my mind I saw him winning a cup, this season, for the first time in 38 years. He had a good go at that with three, consecutive, quarter finals and for those cup runs I thank him. It’s been a huge roller-coaster and, perhaps, I’ve had a tinge of rose tint in my glasses when viewing this season. I genuinely believed that he would learn, grow, improve to take West Ham in to the top eight and win a cup and held on to that belief until the bitter end. Some truly brilliant memories in there and, because of that, I’m going to finish by posting a few of images that I’ll remember of his time managing the club. I hope he continues to enjoy the journey and becomes a top manager to disprove those that believe he’s not got it in him.
All the best Slav – may the road rise up to meet you fella.
COYI! West Ham 4 The Cup!