Scott Minto: West Ham United owners could axe David Moyes as he is not long term
David Moyes may not have been handed a new contract at West Ham United because the owners do not see him staying in the “medium to long term”, according to Scott Minto.
The Sky Sports pundit was speaking on talkSPORT (23 August) when he expressed his shock regarding a lack of contract extension for the Scotsman considering he recently won the Hammers their first European silverware in decades.
He speculated that Moyes may not be considered as the man to take West Ham to the next level by the club’s owners, but they will wait until the start of the season pans out before making a decision.
Speaking live on talkSPORT, Minto said: “You win a European trophy, the first in 40-odd years. Your manager has got one year left on his contract. Why is his contract not renewed?
“You know, players coming in are going to be offered a four or five-year contract, but what about the manager? So he’s not going to be here next season. They just won a trophy.
“It seems to be that the West Ham owners don’t think that Moyes is going to be there in the medium to long term and maybe they want to see how this Premier League season will go.”
Unrewarded
While many have criticised Moyes’ second tenure at West Ham, it is undeniable that he has brought the Hammers their most success in years.
Multiple European qualifications and a Europa Conference League trophy is something most football fans can only dream of and the Scotsman has brought it to Stratford.
However, the hierarchy does not seem to trust Moyes. Before their European final victory, The Guardian claimed (2 June) that Moyes would have likely been sacked if he failed to win the trophy.
Despite the victory, the owners seemingly still have their reservations. While Moyes is often seen as an old-school and perhaps slightly outdated manager compared to the elite-tier coaches of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti, his track record for the Hammers is undeniable.
Some tough pills have been swallowed during his time in East London, including near-relegation and some notably poor performances. But it is unlikely a single West Ham fan would have bet when Moyes returned for his second stint that he would have brought any kind of silverware, let alone European.
David Sullivan may be looking for a fresh and innovative manager to guide his new signings into a new era for the club, but he’ll need a good reason to give him the sack.
If Moyes keeps the Hammers where they need to be, that could be a long time.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers could miss out on a striker target following Saudi Arabian interest.