MOYES: WRONG TO HAMMER JOB I’VE DONE
DAVID MOYES has come out fighting for his job by telling West Ham: ‘You’ve never had it so good’.
Moyes, who turned 61 on Thursday, will be out of contract at the club at the end of the season.
He turned down the chance to sign a new deal in December but his side have been on the slide since the turn of the year.
The Hammers have won just four of their last 21 matches in all competitions, and saw their hopes of a Europa League semi-final ended by Bayer Leverkusen.
Sunday’s 5-2 horror show at Crystal Palace, during which they were 4-0 down after half an hour, has proved a tipping point, with owner David Sullivan now actively sounding out potential replacements.
Sullivan held brief talks with Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim (circle) this week and has also made contact with ex-wolves chief Julen Lopetegui.
But Moyes, who guided West Ham to a first trophy in 43 years when they won the Europa Conference League last season (below), has launched an impassioned defence of his record in charge of the club.
“I understand we want to do better than eighth, I understand that totally,” he said.
“But if you want to look back on the history, they have only finished in the top eight three times in 20 years – two under me.
“The biggest thing to remember at West Ham was that stability was needed. To steer the ship through a period and keep them in the right place.
“I am pretty good at that and building clubs over the years when I have had long chances to do it. It builds clubs.
“The years I had with Everton in Europe gives an idea of that.”
Graham Potter, Vincent Kompany and Hansi Flick have also been linked with the job during a week of frenzied speculation.
But Moyes added: “I have to be honest, I haven’t looked. I’m only getting told by people like you, or maybe people have phoned me up. But I haven’t gone out looking. As far as I’m concerned, we had an agreement we’d speak at the end of the season.
“I’m sounding like a big-headed git here, but everyone I meet says: ‘Unbelievable. Thanks for giving me the best years, it’s been brilliant’.
“One fan gave me a bit of criticism after the Crystal Palace game. No problem, I deserved all the criticism in the world.
“There’s been three or four games I hated, but a bundle of good moments – the win against Spurs, beating Chelsea, going to Brighton and winning, beating Manchester United at home.
“But all that is quite easily forgotten.”