David Moyes: West Ham need to emulate atmosphere at Crystal Palace and Liverpool
David Moyes wants the West Ham to copy teams like Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Everton for a “better atmosphere” at the London Stadium.
Thursday night’s (17 March) Europa League win over Sevilla was arguably the biggest occasion at the club’s Stratford ground since the deeply unpopular move from their previous home at Upton Park.
Major fan protests dogged the ownership follow the switch up until the Covid-19 pandemic, but with the success Moyes has brought the club, he sees the only way as up and wants measures brought in to emulate the backing some rival clubs get at home.
The Scot said, via the Daily Star: “I’m a football man. I go to games. I see the way it is at other clubs. I think for West Ham it might be a great idea for the future. There’s a lot of safe standing areas coming in, and other things, and we need to grow with things like that and Thursday night shows that we can.
“Anything that encourages a better atmosphere is good. Crystal Palace for example get incredible support, incredible backing. You can name many other clubs. You can name Anfield and Goodison Park and Old Trafford. With a bit of work and creativity and thought you can help those things.
“When I was a manager going to Upton Park it was incredibly tough and we don’t think that needs to change at London Stadium.
“The club are trying to make it even better if they can, and it was a great atmosphere the other night. Those supporters will certainly want to come to the next one.”
Come a long way
The Hammers have a famous support, and the transfer from the tight enclosure at the Boleyn Ground to the stands at the then-Olympic Stadium pulled many of them further away from the pitch.
The club has worked to improve the set up by bringing some seats closer, but it will never rival Upton Park for many.
If it wasn’t for Moyes and the job he is doing, there is no telling where the club would be by now, both in terms of the team and the owners.
He has lifted the playing squad from fighting at the bottom of the league to the top, and provided the perfect barrier against criticism of the club leadership.
It might not endear him to the supporters to suggest that fans of rival clubs provide better atmospheres, especially at Manchester United where Roy Keane famously once referred to sections of the Old Trafford crowd as the “prawn sandwich brigade” for not being vocal enough.
But considering the wonders the manager is working he will of course be let off.
And if he can get what he wants in terms of a home atmosphere that replicates the one on Green Street, the club is sure to see even more success.
In other West Ham news, one Irons star has been told to “strike while the iron’s hot” by Paul Merson.
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