David Sullivan accused of withdrawing West Ham United manager contract offer
David Moyes has revealed that David Sullivan chose to withdraw the Scot’s new contract extension during his final season at West Ham.
The 61-year-old was replaced by Julen Lopetegui during the summer after plenty of criticism from Hammers fans, though the Scot had revealed that a contract extension was on the table.
Despite three seasons of European football, including lifting the Europa Conference League title, Moyes eventually parted ways with the London club again, now lifting the lid on his exit.
Speaking via the Stick to Football podcast [7 November], Moyes said: We [West Ham] beat Arsenal on December 28, at The Emirates, and that day the club had offered me a new contract.
“We then went on a three-game losing streak, lost to Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, and I hadn’t signed the contract as I wasn’t sure if I should stay.
“The contract wasn’t a great contract, but David Sullivan withdrew the contract just off the back of those results. We then said we’d wait and make a decision at the end of the season.”
David Moyes opens up on West Ham United exit
There is no hiding from how poor the Hammers’ form was during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, though they did manage to finish ninth.
The main problem was Moyes’ defensive style of play, which clearly had stopped working as only Luton Town, Burnley and Sheffield United conceded more Premier League goals last term.
With three seasons of competing on the European stage, a lot of the criticism seemed a little harsh, but with a plethora of talent within the squad, there is no doubt that the Irons were underperforming by the end.
While many will still feel that Moyes leaving was the right decision for the club last summer, Lopetegui has still yet to convince the majority of fans that he is the right man to steady the ship.
The Hammers are fourteenth after 10 games this season, sitting just six points above the relegation zone, with some suggestions that Moyes could already be brought back to the London Stadium for a third time.
That, of course, is difficult to imagine given how he left during the summer, but something definitely needs to change as the Hammers continue to struggle this season.
In other West Ham news, a striker target has made a transfer decision after the Hammers tabled a £30million+ bid.
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