Mark Warburton explains why he took coaching role at West Ham United
West Ham United recently appointed ex-QPR manager Mark Warburton as one of their first team coaches after Stuart Pearce left the club.
The 59-year-old left his post as R’s boss at the end of the 2021-22 season having led the side to a mid-table finish and was quickly brought into the fold at Rush Green after Pearce chose to leave of his own accord at a similar time.
It was a decision that came as a surprise having been the main man at his previous clubs but he explained his decision after the Irons’ 3-1 friendly defeat away at Rangers.
“The whole point was to try something a bit different,” he said, as quoted by Rangers Review. “I’m not 40 years of age and I thought ‘how many more chances are there going to be to get a senior role at a Premier League club, work with Premier League players and have the opportunity to learn from a manager of the quality of David Moyes?’.
“I’m only three weeks in but I’m enjoying it. There are some outstanding people at the club and outstanding players so I have to make sure I can add a bit of quality and value otherwise there’s no point. I want to add a little something and that’s my objective going forward and hopefully, I can achieve that.”
Difference maker
With all the transfer business West Ham have done and are intending to do, Warburton’s appointment could be the most important thing they do all summer.
It is going to be hugely beneficial to Moyes to have another highly-experienced manager beside him to give him crucial advice in games that could swing the tide in the way of the Hammers.
Coaches are very good at spotting things in training and helping the players when there is no time or result pressure on that exact moment but things are a lot different when it is game time.
Warburton’s success at Brentford and Rangers, in particular, is all you need to look at to realise that Moyes essentially has a second manager in his armoury that could see that one small detail he missed as he tries to look in every direction at all times.
You won’t see the headlines ever written about the 59-year-old but he will make a big impact at the London Stadium.