Stan Collymore outlines David Moyes plan for West Ham success as pundit names three possible successors
Stan Collymore wants West Ham to ditch David Moyes at the end of the season and bring in a younger, more progressive manager to take the club forward.
Moyes, 59, has been at the Hammers helm since November 2021 and enjoyed considerable success. He was initially installed as manager on a six-month deal in November 2017. But club officials opted not to extend his contract before bringing him back to the club 18 months later.
And it certainly proved to be a positive move, with the Scottish tactician guiding his side to a sixth-place finish in 2020-2021.
They ended up seventh last term, earning a spot in the Europa League. And the men in claret and blue have certainly embraced their European adventure, winning all six group games.
And it has been a similar story in the knockout stage, taking care of AEK Larnaca 6-0 on aggregate in the round of 16.
Gent were dealt with in similar ruthless fashion, with the East End outfit running out 5-2 winners over two legs.
Eredivisie club AZ await in the semi-finals, with both matches scheduled for next month.
Unfortunately, European competition seems to have had a detrimental affect on West Ham’s Premier League form.
The London Stadium outfit have won just eight top-flight games in 2022-2023 and are embroiled in a relegation battle.
A recent upturn in form has seen the capital outfit take seven points from their past four games.
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They now sit 15th in the standings and are four points above the relegation zone.
There have been calls for Moyes to be sacked due to their league form and Collymore has added his voice to the chorus of disapproval.
Moyes urged to move ‘upstairs’
There have been plenty of rumours that West Ham will look to go in another direction at the end of the season.
A number of names have been mentioned as his possible successor. And Collymore has put forward a few suggestions for what will be a difficult choice.
“West Ham have got to decide what they want to be,” he wrote in his Caught Offside column.
“Whether they want to go down the road of having a progressive younger coach of the type that Roberto De Zerbi or Thomas Frank are.
“Would they even go for a Gary O’Neill, one of West Ham’s own of course? Look at the job he’s done at Bournemouth.
“Or do West Ham’s board give David Moyes another year whereby they know what his style and substance is, but it’s a little bit samey and players can zone out?”
The former Liverpool striker feels Moyes has done a decent job and should still play a part in the club’s future.
“I think they are way better than 15th in the table because their European form has proved that,” he added.
“If it was me I’d be looking to twist and move on from David Moyes.
“You tap into his experience perhaps as a director of football or some kind of role to acknowledge what he’s done, because it’s been significant.
“But if they continue with Moyes, it would be a bit of a lazy choice. Because they should be getting more out of the squad than he is.”
Collymore wants change of direction
Moyes has always been known as a defensive-minded coach. His tactics have brought success but a record of just 29 goals from 30 league games tells its own story.
And Collymore believes it is time the London Stadium faithful were treated to a more exciting brand of football.
“There’s no reason why the club shouldn’t go for a proactive coach that plays front-foot, aggressive football,” he said.
“If De Zerbi, Frank and Unai Emery can get their clubs up into European positions, the West Ham board should be looking at things and saying we need someone who can do the same on a regular basis.
“I’m not convinced that Moyes can do that in the league anymore.”
West Ham are next in action when they face a huge clash with Bournemouth on Sunday.
