Daily WHUFC News - 18th May 2018

Joint-Chairman provides update on manager search
WHUFC.com

West Ham United would like to assure supporters that the Board are extremely confident of appointing a high-calibre first-team manager, who has a proven record both in the Premier League and European football. The Club expect to make an announcement within the next seven days, following a thorough and strategic process that has identified the best possible candidates. Joint Chairman David Sullivan said: "I would like to reassure our supporters that we have left no stone unturned in selecting the individual we believe is the right man to take West Ham United forward. "We have followed a process that is progressing entirely to plan and are now very close to reaching an agreement. "This is an exciting time for our football club. We are preparing to appoint a manager who has a proven record of success at the highest level of the game."

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Phillips: It's about getting players through the ranks
WHUFC.com

U18s coach and co-manager Mark Phillips takes a look back at the 2017/18 season at the West Ham United Academy...

It is always important to remember, when considering the season as a whole, that it's not about results or where you are in the league at this level, although obviously it's always nice to be near the top.

For us, Steve Potts and myself, as coaches of the West Ham United U18s, it's about getting players through the ranks, and this season I'm delighted to say we've had four players consistently representing the U23s in Ben Johnson, Domingos Quina, Conor Coventry and Alfie Lewis. Each has consistently played for the U23s this campaign, and that's what the job Steve and I do is all about.

When I think about the ups and downs of the season, I think my most disappointing day of the campaign came in our very first game. We were away to Brighton & Hove Albion, and we'd looked at the fixture as one that we could take points from, but our side lost 3-1 and, to be honest, didn't play all that well.

However, that result was the beginning of a real learning curve for our lads and, slowly but surely, we began to get to grips with our competition, and really started to show what they were about towards the end of 2017.

From there, our team went on a very good run, winning five consecutive matches. That run came on the back of a change in style.

The quality we possessed at centre-back, along with the presence of two natural wing-backs in Jeremy Ngakia and Reece Hannam, meant that it was natural for us to move to a three-man defensive formation.

It was a move that proved highly successful for us. We didn't allow our playing philosophy to be compromised, but we just shifted slightly to a system that benefited our available personnel. All the credit goes to the players for quickly adapting, as they only had three days to learn the formation before the first time we used it. Winning that match against Leicester City in early February proved to all of us that it was the right move.

In the midst of this run and switch came my favourite game this season – the 2-0 home victory against Tottenham. Make no mistake, Tottenham are an exceptionally strong team and were one of only two sides to beat Chelsea, who have finished top of our division.

We entertained Spurs in a midweek contest in March and, to be fair, they were the better team in the first half. However, our boys showed their resolution and determination, containing Tottenham to only a handful of chances, before goals from Odysseas Spyridis and Korrey Henry gave us the win. That spirit and drive made this the most satisfying result, at least for me personally.

A few of our U18s have been in Zurich for the FIFA/Blue Stars Youth Cup, where they finished a creditable sixth, while a handful will also be involved in the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens competition in Hong Kong. It's a very prestigious tournament and an excellent way for our players to showcase their ability at the end of the campaign.

The off-season is very important now. Undoubtedly, our lads need time to unwind, but it's essential that they come back in good shape, ready to hit the ground running.

The coming pre-season is a great opportunity for our U18s to prove themselves ahead of the new campaign. There will be some players who have done well at U16s level that will be looking to make an impact now they are with us. No doubts about it, it will be harder and we will expect more from them, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the new season holds for us at the West Ham United Academy.

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Obiang delighted to return to action
WHUFC.com

Seven points in three matches and a return to action after injury equalled a 'beautiful' end to the season for Pedro Obiang. The midfielder, who had been out of action since suffering a knee injury in the FA Cup clash with Wigan Athletic at the end of January, made his return to the field with a brief cameo in the closing minutes of West Ham's 3-1 win over Everton on Sunday. The appearance came after Obiang had been on the bench in the prior two matches, meaning the Spaniard watched on as the Hammers beat Leicester City 2-0 away before claiming a credible draw with Manchester United. With seven points claimed in the final run-in, Obiang was thrilled with how the Irons ended the 2017/18 campaign. "It was a perfect way to end the season," Obiang told West Ham TV. "It was the perfect time to take some more points. We probably have to say sorry because we made the people suffer until the end of the season. But, sometimes it's beautiful to wait. "It's always important because we have to keep positive. In the last three games, we've played really good football and taken a lot of points, so to finish with three points is one of the most important things. You have to finish with something at the end."

A tear to the medial collateral ligament in his right knee against Wigan seemed to have ended Obiang's campaign at the start of 2018, with it originally believed that the 26-year-old would be back in time for pre-season. However, the midfielder insists he always believed he would be back on the pitch again this season.
"For even me, today was exciting because I was expecting this moment for a couple of weeks," he continued. "Even if I didn't feel 90 or 100 per cent, I have to be with the squad. I waited for my time and they gave it to me, which was really nice."
The midfielder has now called on the side to take the form from the final week of this season into next year, as the side looks to improve on the 13th placed finish achieved. Obiang added: "We have to take the summer but I think in the last month we've improved a lot. We have to continue that way."

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West Ham to appoint boss with 'proven record of success at highest level'
BBC.co.uk

West Ham say they will appoint "a manager who has a proven record of success at the highest level of the game" within the next seven days. The Hammers are looking for their fourth manager since 2015 after David Moyes left the club on Wednesday. Joint chairman David Sullivan said the Hammers had left "no stone unturned" in choosing the person they believe is the "right man to take West Ham forward".
Sullivan added they "are now very close to reaching an agreement". Former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, who is managing Chinese side Hebei China Fortune, and Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez are the bookmakers' favourites for the post. "This is an exciting time for our football club," Sullivan said. "We are preparing to appoint a manager who has a proven record of success at the highest level of the game."
A West Ham statement on Thursday said the club was "extremely confident of appointing a high-calibre first-team manager, who has a proven record both in the Premier League and European football".
Moyes replaced Slaven Bilic on a short-term contract in November with the club in the relegation zone. He presided over nine wins and 10 draws from 31 games as the Hammers finished 13th in the Premier League, nine points clear of the drop zone.

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David Sullivan says West Ham 'very close' to appointing new manager
By Rory O'Callaghan
Last Updated: 17/05/18 9:22pm
SSN

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan insists the club is "very close" to appointing a "high calibre" manager to succeed David Moyes at the London Stadium. Moyes parted ways with the Hammers on Wednesday after coming to the end of his six-month contract with the club, who have since held talks with representatives of Manuel Pellegrini. Sky sources understand West Ham are planning on making a move for Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez, while Shakhtar Donetsk boss Paulo Fonseca has also been linked with the vacant role.
A statement released on West Ham's website on Thursday, read: "West Ham United would like to assure supporters that the Board are extremely confident of appointing a high-calibre first-team manager, who has a proven record both in the Premier League and European football. "The Club expect to make an announcement within the next seven days, following a thorough and strategic process that has identified the best possible candidates."
Sullivan insists the club's efforts to recruit a new manager are "progressing entirely to plan" and that an agreement will be reached in the coming days. "I would like to reassure our supporters that we have left no stone unturned in selecting the individual we believe is the right man to take West Ham United forward," added Sullivan. "We have followed a process that is progressing entirely to plan and are now very close to reaching an agreement. "This is an exciting time for our football club. We are preparing to appoint a manager who has a proven record of success at the highest level of the game."

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Newcastle United confident of keeping manager Rafa Benitez
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 17/05/18 7:41pm
SSN

Newcastle are confident manager Rafa Benitez will stay at the club, despite reports linking him with a move away, Sky sources understand. United believe they have a water-tight contract with Benitez, which includes a large release clause. The Spaniard, who has one year remaining on his current deal, almost became West Ham boss in the summer of 2015 before joining Real Madrid. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan remains on good terms with Benitez and said on Thursday that the club were "very close" to appointing a "high calibre" manager to succeed David Moyes at the London Stadium. The club have since held talks with representatives of former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini in their search to replace the Scotsman.

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Paulo Fonseca signs new two-year deal with Shakhtar Donetsk
Last Updated: 17/05/18 9:38pm
SSN

Paulo Fonseca has committed his future to Shakhtar Donetsk by a signing a new two-year deal with the Ukrainian champions. Fonseca first joined Donestk in 2016 after leaving Portuguese side Braga and has since guided the club to successive league and cup doubles in Ukraine. The 45-year-old had been linked with the vacant managerial role at West Ham but is now set to remain with Shakhtar until 2020. "I'm very happy. I had a desire to continue my career in Shakhtar," said Fonseca, in a statement released on the club's website. "It was extremely important to feel that the president of the club, Rinat Akhmetov, employees and football players want me to stay to continue the work that we started two seasons ago. "Now you need to work hard to continue to win both on the domestic and international arena. "Shakhtar will still demonstrate a beautiful, attacking football. I believe that the fans will be proud of their club. "I want to thank our fans for their excellent support. The "miners" just fantastic fans who are very fond of the team. For me, this served as an additional motive for staying here."
Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov has been impressed with Fonseca's impact since his arrival from Portugal in 2016. He said: "You remember how, two years ago, we invited Paulo to Shakhtar and everyone shouted: 'What will happen, what now with Shakhtar? Now everything will be bad with Shakhtar. Everything is bad, there will be problems. We do not know what to expect.' "And what do we see? Two championships, two Cups, one Super Bowl and a brilliant game in the Champions League. "This indicates that Shakhtar made the right decision two years ago, inviting Paulo and his assistants to the team. Now we have signed a new contract, and I am confident that new successes will await us. Paulo is a professional. "He is an ambitious man. An industrious man. And he has good ideas. He knows what to do."

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No decision from Fonseca
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th May 2018
By: Staff Writer

Shakhtar Donetsk boss Paulo Fonseca is yet to determine his future, despite reports suggesting that he has agreed to sign a new contract with the Ukrainian club.
The 45-year-old Portuguese manager met West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan on Monday to discuss a potential move to West Ham, since when it has been reported that he is set to turn his back on West Ham and sign an extended contract with his current club. However those reports are thought to be wide of the mark, with Fonseca instead set to announce his intentions within the next 48 hours.
Meanwhile representatives of Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini have also met West Ham's co-owner, with reports suggesting that the 64-year-old is demanding a salary worth in the region of £8million per year. And that's in addition to the compensation West Ham would have to pay Pellegrini's current club Hebei China Fortune, to whom he is contracted until summer 2019.
The third leading candidate for the role, Rafa Benitez, remains in contract negotiations with current club Newcastle United; the 64-year-old former Real and Liverpool boss has little more than a year to run on his current agreement with the North East club. However in order to land the Spaniard - or either Fonseca or Pellegrini - Sullivan would have to break his policy of refusing to pay compensation for a manager already employed elsewhere.
Avram Grant, Sam Allardyce, Slaven Bilic and David Moyes - his four signings since purchasing a controlling share in West Ham - were all free agents when joining the Hammers. With that in mind, Claudio Ranieri's decision to leave Ligue 1 outfit Nantes by mutual agreement this morning - after just a single season in charge at La Beaujoire-Louis Fonteneau - will no doubt raise a few eyebrows across the water. Ranieri, who led Leicester to the Premier League title two seasons ago may well be viewed as the perfect solution to West Ham's current needs, given his record of making the most of clubs with limited budgets.

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West Ham set to move for Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 17/05/18 11:02am
SSN

West Ham are planning on making a move for Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez, according to Sky sources. The Spaniard almost became Hammers boss in the summer of 2015 before they were gazumped by Real Madrid. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan remains on good terms with Benitez. Benitez is believed to have a £6m release clause in his Newcastle contract and wants assurances about his transfer budget before committing his long-term future to the club. The 58-year-old remains in discussions over a contract extension in the north-east, as his present deal has only 12 months left to run. Benitez has earned plaudits for guiding the Magpies to an impressive 10th-place finish in the Premier League, capped by a 3-0 romp against Chelsea on the final day.
Sky Sports News also reported on Wednesday that West Ham had met with representatives of former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, although it is understood wages are a major stumbling block. The Hammers confirmed earlier in the day that David Moyes would not return to his role as manager following the expiration of his six-month deal. Hammers co-owner David Sullivan said: "We aim to appoint a high-calibre figure who we feel will lead the club into an exciting future for our loyal supporters within the next 10 days."

West Ham are also interested in Paulo Fonseca, manager of Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk.

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Rafa Benitez to West Ham: Newcastle boss demands £100m transfer kitty plus full control
RAFA BENITEZ has outlined his terms to become West Ham's new manager: he wants a £100million budget, total control over transfers, and a £6m a year contract.
By TONY BANKS
PUBLISHED: 22:30, Thu, May 17, 2018
Express.co.uk

The Hammers have made Benitez their No 1 choice to replace David Moyes, while Russian giants Zenit St Petersberg have identified the 58-year-old as Roberto Mancini's successor. Both would be willing to meet the £6m buy-out clause in his contract, with the Hammers ready to make a formal approach given any encouragement from Benitez' people. Benitez wants to stay at Newcastle - but only if he's satisfied the club can match his own ambitions. And Newcastle so far have yet to convince him the two parties share the same goals.
Benitez has just 12 months left on his current deal and wanted his future resolved before the end of the season. His representatives have been in talks with managing director Lee Charnley, acting on behalf of Ashley for several weeks, but little progress has been made. The former Liverpool manager wants cast-iron assurances that he can spend what cash he is given how he likes. Ashley has said that he wants Benitez to stay, but the pair have not held face-to-face talks and there is a lack of trust on Benitez's side after three botched transfer windows. The former Liverpool and Real Madrid coach has never previously walked out on a contract and would be loath to do so now. But he feels the ball is firmly in Newcastle's court and if they don't accept his terms, it will prove to him they don't want him to be in charge in the long-term. While Benitez has a close relationship with Toon fans, being manager of a club content to finish mid-table year is not what he is looking for. West Ham have also approached Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann but been told he is staying, while Manuel Pellegrini, currently at Chinese club Hebei China Fortune, has priced himself out of the running with demands for an £8.5m deal, on top of £5m compensation. Shakhtar Donetsk manager Paulo Fonseca and ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery have also had talks.

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Paulo Fonseca and Manuel Pellegrini favourites to be next West Ham manager
By Billy Cundall
Last Updated: 17/05/18 9:54am
SSN

Who could be West Ham's next manager? Sky Bet takes a look at the favourites following David Moyes' departure from the London Stadium. Moyes left the club on Wednesday despite steering them clear of relegation amid issues with the new stadium, fans, owners and players. Here's a look at the most likely candidates to be tasked with filling the vacancy...

Paulo Fonseca - 8/11 with Sky Bet
Early odds-on favourite for the vacancy is Shakhtar Donetsk's Paulo Fonseca, who has captured admirers with impressive displays both domestically and in Europe. The 45-year-old has also been linked with the vacant Everton job, although reports suggest that the Hammers have a head start by opening discussions prior to Moyes' departure. However, it remains to be seen how suited the Portuguese boss, who lacks any Premier League experience, would be to dealing with the pressures at the London Stadium.

Manuel Pellegrini - 7/4 with Sky Bet
A man that knows all about what it takes to compete in England's top tier is Manuel Pellegrini. The 64-year-old led Manchester City to their second Premier League title, as well as collecting two League Cup trophies along the way. The Chilean boss left the Etihad Stadium with his stock high and is currently managing in the Chinese Super League.

Rafael Benitez - 5/1 with Sky Bet
Rafael Benitez is a man in demand again thanks to his impressive work at Newcastle. The Spaniard steered the Magpies to the Sky Bet Championship title before retaining Premier League status in their first year back, ending with a respectable top half finish in 10th. However, while David Gold may be able to appeal to the 58-year-old with a bigger transfer budget, another volatile environment might cancel out the financial offering.

Unai Emery - 10/1 with Sky Bet
The recently departed PSG boss could look for a quick route back into football via the Hammers. Emery struggled to satisfy the high expectations of the Parisian club's owners and, after splashing cash on Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, the board terminated the 46-year-old's contract.

Claudio Ranieri - 20/1 with Sky Bet
After narrowly avoiding relegation, West Ham fans will be hoping for more next season. That is exactly what Claudio Ranieri did at Leicester, taking over following Nigel Pearson's great escape to achieve the unthinkable. While such aspirations of Premier League title glory might even be beyond the Hammers' ambitious owners, they could be forgiven for daring to dream that the 66-year-old, who has led Nantes to back-to-back top-half Ligue 1 finishes, could provide them with the sort of optimism desperately lacking at the London Stadium.

Eddie Howe - 20/1 with Sky Bet
Some might suggest that Eddie Howe's work at Bournemouth has been just as impressive. The 40-year-old has transformed a low-budget Bournemouth side into an established Premier League outfit. Howe achieved three promotions in five years, as well as winning Football League Manager of the Decade (2005-2015), to add to his already impressive list of achievements.

Alternative options
Next Everton manager favourite Marco Silva follows in the betting, with ex-Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal another outsider for the job at 22/1 alongside Slavisa Jokanovic, although his availability is likely to be subject to Fulham's Sky Bet Championship play-off fortunes. Alan Pardew, Brendan Rodgers, Claude Puel, David Wagner and Martin O'Neil are all priced at 25/1 to get the role.

Sky Bet odds correct as of 0900 on 17/05/18 and subject to change.

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Rafa Benitez interested in becoming the next West Ham manager and is Hammers No1 target
KEN DYER
TONY EVANS
ES Football Newsletter

West Ham are poised to bring Rafa Benitez to the London Stadium - providing they make the right offer. The Spaniard is top of the club's short-list to replace David Moyes as manager and the 58-year-old is growing increasingly frustrated at Newcastle. Benitez is in talks about his future with Lee Charnley, the managing director at St James' Park, but is not receiving the assurances he needs to remain in the north east. The former Liverpool manager is weighing up a number of offers but prefers to remain in the Premier League. If West Ham present the right package, Benitez would be willing to move south. It will cost West Ham more than £6million in compensation to get their man. Zenit St Petersburg are one of a number of clubs who are interested in Benitez but his preferred option would be to move to London. Benitez, a popular figure on Tyneside after guiding Newcastle to promotion last season and then to 10th in the Premier League, has a year left to run on his deal and West Ham would have to pay compensation of at least £6m - Benitez's annual salary. It is understood he is looking for an £80m transfer budget at St James' Park this summer. The east London club, who decided not to award Moyes a longer deal, despite the fact he guided them to 13th place in the Premier League final table - two points behind Newcastle - have other names on their short-list should Benitez decide to stay in the north east.
Co-owner David Sullivan (above) has already interviewed Shakhtar Donetsk coach Paulo Fonseca and intends also to talk to former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini, who is in charge of Chinese Super League team Hebei China Fortune. Salary could be a problem but it is understood that the 64-year-old Chilean is keen to return to Europe. Unai Emery, who is leaving Paris Saint-Germain, is also on the Premier League club's list, as is former Hull and Watford manager Marco Silva, who is also wanted by Everton.
West Ham are also among a number of clubs who have been impressed with the work of Slavisa Jokanovic at Fulham. The Serbian looks likely to stay at Craven Cottage should they beat Aston Villa in the Championship Play-off Final but could be considering other options should Fulham not win ­promotion. Benitez, though, remains West Ham's first choice and there remains a degree of mutual respect following the club's failed attempt to land him in 2015, following the departure of Sam Allardyce. West Ham were close to landing their man then but Real Madrid joined the chase and the deal fell through. Benitez has since said: "I have a lot of respect for West Ham because, when I was in contact with them, they were really good and professional."

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West Ham news: Rafa Benitez Newcastle exit claim made by BBC Sport pundit Pat Nevin
WEST HAM managerial target Rafa Benitez could leave Newcastle this summer - but not for the Hammers.
By JAMES BENSON
PUBLISHED: 14:50, Thu, May 17, 2018 | UPDATED: 14:50, Thu, May 17, 2018
Express.co.uk

That's the verdict of BBC Sport pundit Pat Nevin, who says he can see a top club making a move to recruit the Spaniard. West Ham are currently looking for a new manager after getting rid of David Moyes at the end of his short-term contract. And Newcastle boss Benitez has emerged as London Stadium chiefs' No 1 choice to replace the Scotsman in the dugout. Talks with Benitez are said to be on the cards next week as West Ham look to give themselves a jumpstart ahead of next season. Nevin sounds pretty convinced the former 58-year-old will not join Newcastle's Premier League rivals. But he says the former Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Napoli and Real Madrid gaffer could leave St. James' Park for yet another elite side. "I'd be amazed if Rafa decided to go to West Ham," Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live. "In terms of Rafa's history, where he's been, what he's done, what he's done recently. "But I wouldn't be surprised if a very, very, very big-name club showed interest in Rafa Benitez. He's done a phenomenal job [at Newcastle]."
Nevin's comments came after Newcastle hero Chris Waddle suggested it would take a mammoth offer to tempt Benitez into jumping ship for West Ham. "Benitez might look at it and think, 'You know at Newcastle, I've got that budget which is not obviously great' and he wants more and rightly so," said Waddle. "But going to West Ham it might be a very similar budget and he says at Newcastle, he's absolutely loved, the fans love him, and rightly so, he's one a great job. "He could go to West Ham, lose the first five games and it's like, 'What [are] you doing here?' "So for him to move it would have to be an unbelievable sort of deal to say, 'I'm allowed to spend a lot of money to bring certain players in I've identified who I'd probably like to bring to Newcastle, who are even bigger players.' "Where do you wanna be? That is the question for any manager going into West Ham. Where do you want to be? "Will it be a relegation battle? Will it be a mid-table or… Where actually does the club wanna go?" Manuel Pellegrini and Unai Emery are thought to be targets if West Ham fail to land Benitez.

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West Ham United fans want Gianluigi Buffon
HITC
John Verrall

Gianluigi Buffon has previously stated that he would like to play for West Ham United, and his contract is due to expire. Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus speaks to the media during the Juventus Press Conference at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 10, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. Gianluigi Buffon has previously told the Independent that he wanted to play for West Ham United, and supporters at the London Stadium feel that they have a chance of landing the Italian legend now. Buffon has announced he is leaving Juventus, with other offers now flooding in for the goalkeeper. With West Ham needing a stopper, some of their more ambitious supporters are hoping that he is offered a contract with the Hammers.
Buffon would almost certainly have to take a wage cut to join West Ham, and he is likely to have interest from higher placed clubs. However, Buffon has previously suggested that he wants to play for West Ham because of the fans. He said to the Independent: 'I wanted to play for West Ham because of their supporters, they follow the Hammers with an extraordinary energy.'' If West Ham could get a deal over the line for Buffon it would be their most remarkable signing of the summer. The Hammers re known to be looking for a new goalkeeper, with both Adrian and Joe Hart struggling at the London Stadium over the past campaign.

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MOYES DEPARTS – ZOLA AND GRANT REVISITED?
By Blind Hammer 17 May 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Blind Hammer questions David Sullivan's expectations.

Expectations are the most dangerous element in football. Every club should have ambition but the tricky thing is adjusting these ambitions to achieve progress. Inappropriate expectations underlie the disasters which have seen many clubs tumble from the Premiership to protracted periods in the championship or even lower.

Three weeks ago a multi web site poll revealed only a small minority of West Ham supporters wanted to extend Moyes contract. Given he was, at appointment, a remarkably unpopular choice, this was not that surprising. He had much to do to win over some of us.

Nevertheless the picture by Sunday was less straightforward. A strong end to the season saw the Irons pick up a crucial 7 out of 9 points, and equally surprisingly turn on the style in the games against Leicester and Everton.

I give no credence to anybody who downplays these performances. The more I look at the Leicester game the more impressive it seems. This was a Leicester team that West Ham dominated and largely nullified. Our much vilified defence, criticised by me as much as anybody, barely gave them a sniff. Yet this was a Leicester team that, only a few days later, convincingly put 3 goals past Arsenal to win and spoil Wenger's final week. This same Leicester, so ineffectual against us, then romped into a 3-1 lead against Tottenham at Wembley. In the end their efforts against Arsenal only 72 hours earlier, caught up with them. They became leggy and suffered a late collapse. The fact is that, however, we had made a team look impotent which had then proceeded to score 7 goals against Arsenal and Tottenham in the space of 3 days.

Talking of late collapses and fitness, the lack of this discussion in relation to West Ham is an indication of the transformation that Moyes and his team have engineered. No pundit talked of tiredness against Everton despite performing only 72 hours after a high intensity battel against Manchester United. Mourinho had responded to Thursdays' exertions by making 9 changes. Moyes, in contrast, went with the same 11. Yet at no time did West Ham seem more leggy or unfit despite the advantage Everton enjoyed of a full week to prepare. More significantly nobody, to my surprise, even mentioned it as an issue. Whatever else Allardyce would have done he would not have allowed slackness in fitness. I am convinced that a West Ham team 12 months earlier would have struggled with the demands of playing 2 games within 72 hours.

What I have never had any doubts about is Moyes's abilities and experience as a man manager. I personally would prefer a Man like Bilic to manage me in any work situation. Yet the ever loyal Julian Dicks had revealed that when Bilic asked him where he had gone wrong, he simply said "you were too good to them". Dicks was obviously disgusted by the attitude of some in the squad who he felt had let Bilic down. In contrast Moyes and indeed his entire coaching team bristled with no nonsense man management skills. The result has been that when the inevitable tantrums of the spoilt and over paid emerge, these are dealt with in straightforward fashion and have not been allowed to developed into protracted soap operas and dramas. There have been plenty of opportunities for these to have advanced within Moyes's short tenure, from Arthur Masuaku irresponsible spitting to Carroll's juvenile throwing of his toys out of his pram. The calm management of these issues along with the transformation of Marko Arnautovic from wild boy to responsible club professional all testified to Moyes as a safe pair of Management hands. This is a much undervalued management virtue. The most striking aspect of Pardew's disastrous tenure at West Brom was his complete inability to instil any team discipline with terminal results. Even those who are considered allegedly the best managers in the world can struggle. José Mourinho was driven out of Chelsea by his inability to control his squad; Antonio Conte has had similar issues.

Of course there were question marks against a Moyes appointment. Apart from Mario's recruitment the January window was hare brained and risky. We gambled on selling a central defender and selling Ayew to a relegation rival. These gambles could easily have come back to haunt us. Hugehill shows no sign of confirming any inspired talent identification. Yet Moyes has identified talent in the past and judging on one Window seems unfair. The other main concern was that Moyes had not repaired the worst defence in the league. However this was a structural problem which has persisted for 2 years and patience had been earned with recent encouraging improvement. My final concern was whether Moyes had the tactical flexibility to adjust to the modern demands of the Premiership. Despite this the displays against Leicester, Manchester United and Everton persuaded me that Moyes was not as tactically limited as I feared. He was not a one trick strategic pony. The midfield interchange between Lanzini and Mario did not arrived spontaneously but would have been born out of hours of sessions at Rush Green.

So if I had been David Sullivan I would have knocked on Moyes's door at 6pm on Sunday and offered an immediate 1 year extension. Whether Moyes would have accepted this or held out for a 2 year deal we will never know. My instincts is that he would have accepted. I would have honestly explained the reservations and improvements I wanted and indicated my patience to see the progress we had made this season consolidated. If by January Moyes had continued realistic progress I would have then entered discussions for a further extension. The Moyes project had delivered safety but my gut feeling is that it would have offered stability and probable further progress. If expectations had not been met December would have been the time to seek a new Manager. For me the main agenda for West ham is to cease performing as a club in danger of relegations, a club which no longer yo yos regularly from Premiership to Championship and which can provide entertaining football without the constant stench of fear.

Instead in his wisdom David Sullivan has decided to take another path. Whether this path leads to the ever elusive glory which some believe is just around the corner is certainly a moot point. I am uncomfortably reminded of the similar minds set which saw the sacking of Zola and his replacement by Avram Grant. I was in the small minority at the time which regretted Zola's sacking. His removal was supposed to clear the way for West Ham to advance to the "next level". Whilst Zola never pulled up trees elsewhere I still feel he could have built a project with us. What is clear is that appointing Grant was a gamble which backfired massively. Instead we spiralled out of control with a demoralised and alienated squad into relegation and the championship. Grant's appointment was driven by ambitions and expectations of the club delivering a quick fix to an unrealistic timescale. I sometimes think nothing is learnt.

I desperately hope that I am proved wrong but replacing Moyes with a similar level Manager of proven calibre is not at all straightforward. I fear the new incarnation of Avram grant. Whoever is appointed will be in a hurry, with a contracted transfer window, with a need to engage positively with the existing squad to identify weaknesses strengths and opportunities. We are entering a period of high risk transformation. I hope that this time the wager the Board has made on our future is not as disastrous.

COYII
David Griffith

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