MOYES WILL NEVER SETTLE FOR SURVIVAL
DAVID MOYES insists that keeping West Ham up this season will be a success in his book.
The Irons boss, who took over the reins in December with the team already in trouble, is adamant he would deem survival with any club an achievement.
The Hammers go into tomorrow’s clash at Liverpool in the drop zone after taking just two points from the last 18 available.
Yet while the bookies rate them as third favourites to go down, Moyes (below) says defying those odds will bring him no great satisfaction.
The former Preston, Manchester United and Everton supremo said: “I’ve never classed staying up at any club a success – and I never will. And certainly not at a club the size of West Ham.
“But we have a job to do to stay up, unfortunately.”
Whether retaining the Hammers’ elite status for another year will be enough to keep him in the job remains to be seen.
Despite giving the Scot an 18-month deal when appointing him for a second time, the Hammers board – as the
exclusively revealed in January – have an option to sever ties with Moyes in June.
“That will be reviewed by everyone at the end of the season,” said Moyes, whose first spell at the London Stadium in
2017-18 lasted just six months.
But an immediate upturn in fortunes is unlikely at Anfield when they face Jurgen Klopp’s Reds for the second time in four weeks.
Liverpool are unbeaten in 43 league games and are rewriting the history books as they romp towards their first title in three decades.
And Moyes’ own record against the Merseysiders is unimpressive having lost 18 of 32 meetings, winning just five.
Not that he reckons those stats are as dismal as they look. In fact, he argues they probably compare favourably to most of his top-flight counterparts.
Moyes, 56, said: “There were quite a few draws in there. It would be interesting if you looked at what other managers have got against Liverpool.
“Anfield has never been an easy place to go but it can change very quickly. You have to hope that you catch them on an off night and play very well.”
As for the criticism from some fans over his negative tactics in last Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester City, the former Sunderland and Real Sociedad coach is unconcerned.
Insisting that he has the backing of the Hammers hardcore, Moyes added: “I think the real supporters understand how difficult these two games are in this period.
“In the main the supporters I have spoken to have all been very supportive and very understanding. “They were terrific at City the other
night.”