Rio Ferdinand blasts at controversial talkSPORT host after David Moyes sack verdict at West Ham United
Rio Ferdinand has jumped to the defence of David Moyes after talkSPORT host Rory Jennings claimed he should be sacked as West Ham manager.
Speaking at the TNT Sports launch on 2 August, the former Hammers star questioned Jennings’ remarks after the controversial pundit said on talkSPORT on 1 August that the Scotsman should be relieved of his duties.
Ferdinand was baffled by his comments and believes the fact the Irons won the Europa Conference League last season should put any question of Moyes losing his job out of the window.
“I said to the lads I was coming on here and one of them said to me that you were talking about how David Moyes should still be given the sack – are you sure?” said Ferdinand.
Jennings then replied by saying he was “sure” of his verdict, with the ex-England international highlighting the Hammers’ trophy victory as a reason to keep hold of the 60-year-old.
“Does that not paper over the cracks?” the talkSPORT pundit asked. “They got 40 points in the Premier League, they lost 20 games in the Premier League.”
A fired-up Ferdinand then responded by saying: “But they might say ‘We were actually focusing elsewhere because we had a real belief that we could win a European competition.’ How many managers have won European competitions?”
Jennings conceded that it is a “very impressive achievement”, but said there’s a “ceiling with Moyes” and that he believes the club are going to pay for it in the upcoming campaign.
“Do you not think there’s a world in which he could’ve won that trophy and then bowed out on a high?” he added. “Because ultimately in terms of being the manager for a Premier League campaign, he’s going to struggle.”
The former Hammers defender once again defended Moyes, as he said: “The only way where that happens where he wins a European competition and bows out is if he says ‘It’s time’. I don’t think the club could in any way shape or form say, ‘Listen, thank you for that but you’ve got to go, you’re not good enough’.”
Interesting debate
There is certainly a debate to be had about Moyes after a number of fans showed their displeasure with him towards the back of last season before the club won the Europa Conference League.
But the fact of the matter is, he did win that trophy and that puts him down as one of the most successful West Ham managers of all time, so he deserves the opportunity to have another go at it in the upcoming season, where the East Londoners will be competing in Europe for the third campaign in a row.
Jennings seems to have a real thing about Moyes and he can’t really be taken too seriously after he only made his name following a ridiculous claim last year, where he said Erling Haaland would be a flop in the Premier League.
It’s good to see Ferdinand come to the defence of the Hammers boss after the pundit has been allowed to lay into him on talkSPORT at every opportunity recently.
There is no doubt that he will have to perform better in the Premier League this season, but for now he certainly deserves the backing of the fans with the start of the new campaign just over a week away.
In other West Ham news, one Man United midfielder appears to be back on the club’s radar.