Mauricio Pochettino to West Ham United verdict shared as David Moyes pressure mounts
Mauricio Pochettino replacing under-fire David Moyes at West Ham United is difficult to envisage, according to The Athletic.
The Hammers’ boss has seen the pressure on his shoulders mount in recent months with his side severely underperforming in the 2022/23 season.
ExWHUemployee (31 December) suggested on his Patreon that the board still back the Scot despite the run of poor results.
Pochettino is currently out of work and has made no secret of his desire to return to the Premier League, but The Athletic have suggested (6 January) it’s hard to see him managing the likes of Everton, West Ham or Leeds.
“On average, eight Premier League managers are sacked per season (though there were actually 10 in 2021-22), so it’s likely we will see more before this season is over, with pressure mounting on Frank Lampard at Everton, David Moyes at West Ham, Leeds head coach Jesse Marsch and Nathan Jones at Southampton,” wrote The Athletic’s Sarah Shephard.
“His name gets linked with most of the ‘big’ jobs that open up, but the former Spurs manager knows he has little to lose by waiting for what he perceives to be the ‘right’ option.
“It’s unlikely he would move to a side that hasn’t secured Champions League football, but then there are few guarantees at present (Manchester City aside, perhaps).
“It’s also difficult to see him returning to the Premier League at the likes of Everton, West Ham or Leeds, but he makes no secret of his love for the league and desire to return.”
Sticking by him
It feels as if the board are now really sticking by their man after a poor run of results. The performance against Leeds United was much improved, but there will also be a disappointment over how the Hammers failed to seal what would have been a vital three points.
They did well to get back into the game but seemed lost after taking the lead and invited their hosts back into the contest. There are certainly some small signs which indicate they could well be turning a corner, but there’s a sense the next two matches against Wolves and Everton will be vital in determining Moyes’ future.
Six points are a must for the Irons against two relegation rivals. Anything less than a maximum points return will see serious questions asked of Moyes and whether he is the right man to lead the club away from their current predicament. Come the season’s end, there’s a good chance these two fixtures could’ve had a huge influence on where the Hammers end up finishing.