Moyes can give Hammers wings
COLE: RED BULL LEIPZIG PROJECT INSPIRED DAVID TO DO IT AT HOME Brucie’s enjoying a bonus
Steve Bates
JOE COLE has urged West Ham’s owners to stick with David Moyes – and allow him to turn the club into the Premier League’s RB Leipzig.
Before committing to a second spell at West Ham, Moyes spent time behind the scenes at Bundesliga side Leipzig.
The former Everton and Manchester United chief was given an access all areas pass to see how the Red Bullbacked side have emerged as a that he was just coming in to steady the ship. But talking to him and listening to him about his experience going over to Leipzig he’s returned to football with a renewed vigour and a different idea this time of how he wants to develop the club.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea and I like what he’s saying.”
Leipzig have finished third in the Bundesliga behind champions Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund – the two recognised giants of Germany – after being runners-up in their first season in the top flight two years ago and sixth last season.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann (below) has masterminded the success on a crop of young, up-and-coming stars like striker Timo Werner who joined from Stuttgart in 2016 for £8million before being sold to Chelsea last month for £47.5m.
Former Hammer Cole, now an Academy coach at Chelsea, believes West Ham have to stop wasting money in the transfer market on over-priced, ageing players and create a younger dynamic to safeguard their future.
And that’s where Leipzig’s method’s can point the way for Moyes. “If the club use the Leipzig model, or a form of that model, where they bring young, hungry players in and don’t overpay for ageing players or players on the other side of it and they play that high-intensity football West Ham fans like then I like that” Cole (left) said.
“If West Ham can stay up and David keeps himself in the job and gets the chance to develop his ideas that would be fantastic.
“And if the fans understand that model and it’s presented to them the right way in the type of players the club want to bring in and the high-energy football they’d support that.
Success
“If anyone does their homework on Leipzig it’s a fantastic model of how to do it and a model club and I like the fact that David is talking like that.
“Then the tide turns instead of getting players in just to get us over the line. There needs to be a strategy going forward that they can all implement.”
After their last-gasp win over Chelsea, the Hammers aim to follow up their success with victory at Newcastle today.
But despite taking Chelsea’s scalp Cole reckons West Ham’s relegation scrap may go to the last day at home against Aston Villa.
“It’s probably going to go down to the wire,” he said.
NEWCASTLE are enjoying a lockdown upturn – and Nobby Solano knows why.
Steve Bruce’s side are unbeaten in the Premier League since the return of top flight football.
A run which includes the 4-1 thrashing of Bournemouth on Wednesday evening – a victory which moved them to within touching distance of the top 10.
That performance against the Cherries saw Newcastle play with a freedom that had previously been lacking.
And former Newcastle legend Solano, believes that the removal of spectators has taken away a huge chunk of the pressure that has proved too much for the club’s players in the recent past.
“Everyone wants the fans in the ground, of course they do – but it’s like the pressure has been lifted,” he says.
“These guys actually look like they’re enjoying playing their football again. When things go wrong at St James’ Park then the players really feel that weight of expectation.
“When things are going well then great.
“But when you’re battling relegation or on a bad run of form then it’s very different – if you haven’t got a big personality as a player then this can have a really big impact.
“All Newcastle fans will want to get back in the ground as soon as possible because when it’s full it’s one of the best atmospheres in the world.
“But at the moment I think they will be enjoying the way the team is playing.”
The threat of relegation has been banished, with Newcastle now certain to be playing in the Premier League next season.