Simon Jordan reacts to Rafa Benitez links with West Ham United
Simon Jordan has spoken out on David Moyes’ potential successor as manager at West Ham United, launching a scathing review of Rafa Benitez and praising Sean Dyche live on talkSPORT.
Moyes has come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks following seven games without a Premier League win, a run that has seen them drop into the relegation zone.
The Scot faces the “real possibility” of being sacked before the Hammers’ clash against Everton, according to the Daily Mail (16 January), and Benitez is on a shortlist of replacements. [The Telegraph, 15 January]
Speaking live on talkSPORT on Tuesday morning (17 January), Jordan led a scathing review of the former Everton and Liverpool manager.
He said: “I don’t like Rafa Benitez. Not personally. I don’t like him professionally.
“From a professional standpoint, I don’t like the way he operates and I don’t like that breed of manager. I think he’s divisive, I think he has no respect for those he works for.
“I just don’t particularly like that style of management that divides rather than unites. And I think, ultimately, Rafa Benitez is in the business of Rafa Benitez.”
On the option of former Burnley manager Dyche taking the reins, Jordan added: “I think it is unfair to have negativity about Sean Dyche. I mean, people have positioned Sean in a certain way. They advocate for the fact his brand of football is a certain way.”
Relegation dogfight
Although Moyes is still at the helm in the West Ham dugout, and although many fans want the Scot to turn around proceedings in East London, there is an inevitability about his sacking in the coming days.
Links with Benitez are a little strange as the 62-year-old seriously damaged his reputation at Goodison Park and didn’t exceed expectations at Newcastle either.
A move for Benitez seems like a sideways step, whereas appointing Dyche would be with one thing in mind – to survive relegation.
The English manager worked wonders with a tight purse at Turf Moor and managed to avoid the drop year after year until he was eventually sacked in a brutal fashion.
If the Hammers are worried about the possibility of relegation, Dyche is the man to restore confidence and push them away from the clutches of the drop zone. His tactics are slammed, and his style of play is often labelled boring, but at the end of the day, his teams win football matches.