Richard Keys warns West Ham United boss David Moyes not to hide from criticism behind mental health, criticises Graham Potter
Richard Keys has warned West Ham boss David Moyes to “please be careful” not to hide behind mental health protections in order to avoid being held to account.
In the wake of Graham Potter sharing the abuse and death threats he has been facing while struggling at Chelsea, which he revealed he has discussed with the Hammers boss [Guardian, 24 February], Keys has bafflingly decided to wade into the mental health debate on the opposite side.
Moyes himself has been under a lot of pressure with the Irons struggling badly this season, but after the morale-boosting 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday (25 February) Keys managed to turn his congratulations on the result into criticism of Potter and a caution to both London bosses about bringing up the subject.
Keys wrote in his latest blog post on Monday (27 February) after the Forest victory: “The relief at West Ham was palpable. Well done Moysie.
“One thing though – please be careful David when suggesting managers’ shouldn’t be adversely questioned whilst in a job because criticism can affect their mental health.
“A lot of work has been done – is being done – in this very sensitive area – all of it very worthwhile. It’s complex subject so I don’t think we should deflect or blur the edges because we don’t like being held to account.
“As someone almost destroyed by public criticism I know what I’m talking about. I too have had death threats – but I’ve never treated them seriously and I don’t think Potter did himself any favours playing that card in his press conference Friday.
“I repeat – I hear you guys – but please be careful.”
What?
There aren’t many people who would turn a “well done” for winning 4-0 into a dressing down for having the temerity to suggest that managers’ mental health might suffer under the weight of unacceptable abuse, but that appears to be the angle Keys is going with.
Football managers just like anyone else shouldn’t receive death threats, or the litany of other abuse they get, just for doing their job in a way that isn’t deemed satisfactory.
Nor for that matter should Keys, even if the reason he became a target for criticism is very different from not winning matches.
So while people should be very careful when it comes to this matter, the managers themselves are probably not top of the list.
Potter himself has accepted he isn’t doing well enough and wasn’t trying to hide from valid criticism of his work, so the idea that he didn’t want to be “held to account” is laughable, as is the fact that Moyes apparently deserves a talking to by association to the Stamford Bridge boss.
If Keys was “almost destroyed by public criticism” then he should know there is quite a clear divide between stating that someone is doing their job badly, must improve, or even that they should lose it, and wishing harm on them and their family, so maybe he doesn’t “hear you guys” at all.
Back at the actual football the West Ham boss saw his side blow Forest away in the sort of display that can lift all sorts of gloom around the club, and if the team can emulate that performance more often the London Stadium will remain a far more positive place.