West Ham United like former Chelsea boss Graham Potter in manager hunt amid ‘near-certainty’ David Moyes exit update
David Moyes is a “near-certainty” to leave at the end of the season and Graham Potter will be an option at that point if he is available, according to 90min.
Toby Cudworth reported via the outlet’s Talking Transfers podcast on 14 November that the former Chelsea boss is not someone the Hammers hierarchy are prepared to sack Moyes for currently, although they do “like him”, as there is “no real appetite” to make a change at the moment despite average league form.
David Sullivan is said not to see an outstanding candidate right now but there is virtually zero expectation that an extension for the current manager will come about so the likes of Potter, Arne Slot and Paolo Fonseca are likely to be in the frame in the summer.
Cudworth said (23m 10s): “Our understanding is that West Ham have been looking at future replacements for him. He won the Conference League in June, has one year left on his contract, but there’s been no engagement over a new contract…
“Our understanding is that West Ham are in no hurry to replace him despite the indifferent Premier League results… David Sullivan doesn’t really see an available candidate who offers substantially more than David Moyes.
“While West Ham are picking up results and getting the odd win, and maintaining a decent position while doing well in Europe, there’s no real appetite to make that change. Likewise there’s no real appetite to extend his contract, so I think we’re going to get to a situation where Moyes’ contract runs down at West Ham [and then] we see who’s available.
“Graham Potter is one who’s currently unemployed, West Ham like him but he’s not of the calibre where West Ham would want to act right now and bin David Moyes off to bring Potter in.
“If he’s available next summer he’s an option for West Ham. Arne Slot from Feyenoord and Paolo Fonseca considered over the last few months, those names could come back into the frame. It will just be a case of who’s available at the time Moyes’ contract expires at the end of June.
“One thing we can say with near-certainty, David Moyes is not going to be signing an extension at West Ham barring a miracle.”
Window of opportunity
It sounds like West Ham are content to play out a similarly uninspiring league campaign two years running, and likely hope for the same sort of success from cup competitions to put some gloss on the season.
That’s all very well if matters don’t get as perilous in the top flight as they did last term and if it allows Moyes to leave without the indignity of the sack after his key role at the London Stadium in recent years.
But if managers are viable options in the summer it is hard to see why they wouldn’t be equally worthwhile now, especially seeing as the hierarchy appear to be willing to take their chances with the remainder of the campaign and could give someone extra time to get settled.
Six months or more for a new boss this term would give whoever it is plenty of time to assess what changes would be needed in the offseason and get those players who are going to stay long term a chance to get used to the tactics ready for next year.
Potter seems like somebody who might be perfect for developing a more expansive style at West Ham based on his time at Brighton, and even if his doomed spell at Stamford Bridge might have suggested he isn’t yet a title-winning calibre of coach it is also hard to blame him for a chaotic scenario in West London last season.
If he is appointed somewhere else before Moyes’ contract is up, as with any other potential candidates, it would narrow the Irons’ options at the expense of being proactive, so it is a risk to wait even if it might be an honourable move.
In other West Ham news, another former Chelsea manager who is said to be one of the ownership’s “favourites” is reportedly out of the running.