Success isn’t measured by surviving
David Moyes insists keeping West Ham up this season will NOT be a success.
And the Irons boss, who took over the reins in December with the team already in trouble, is adamant he’d never deem survival with any club an achievement.
The Hammers go into tomorrow’s clash at league leaders Liverpool stuck in the drop zone after collecting just two points from the last 18.
Yet while the bookies rate them as third favourites to fall into the Championship, Moyes claims defying those odds will bring him no great personal satisfaction.
The ex-Manchester United and Everton gaffer said: “I’ve never classed staying up at any club a success – and I never will.
“Certainly not at a club the size of West Ham. But we have a job to do to stay up unfortunately.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool No.2 Pep Lijnders has revealed how Jurgen Klopp has harnessed the Scouse spirit.
Lijnders, who returned to Anfield in the summer of 2018 to become Klopp’s right-hand man, reckons the secret to the Kop boss’ success has been his ability to tap into the Liverpool Way.
And the Dutchman reckons no one illustrates the success story better than born-and-bred Scouser Trent AlexanderArnold, the full-back he helped to develop when he first arrived on Merseyside six years ago to work in the academy.
Lijnders said: “It is so important at Liverpool that we achieve success with young players from the Academy.
“Trent gives colour to our team. He was my captain in Liverpool’s Under-17s team, when I came from Porto as a youth coach.
“Our bond was so strong and what he is doing right now makes me so proud.”
The veteran coach has been given a brief to deliver owner Farhad Moshiri’s grand plan for the Merseyside outfit. But the Ital ian has stressed the importance of retaining Everton’s identity.
Ancelotti has set his sights on qualifying for Europe after a run that has reaped 17 points in his first eight matches. Scottish boss David Moyes was t he f i rst to hail the Blues as v the People’s Club. And Ancelotti said: “At Everton we are a family – and the spirit we have is strong.
“There is a really powerful sense of belonging at this club.
“Players l ike Seamus Coleman, Leighton Baines and Tom Davies have a sense of exactly what it means to play for Everton.
“And sometimes, to have success at a club, you need to have that sense of belonging.
“Look at some of the most important teams in the history of footbal l – like Barcelona and Milan.
“They built their success on having some players at the club with a really strong sense of belonging.”
Ancelotti is expected to spend big in the summer to transform Everton into genuine contenders.
But while the Italian has a long-term vision for the club, he is loath to tell the players who have done him proud so far that their futures are on the line. The Toffees travel to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium today at the start of a run of games that will also see them face Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester and Tottenham.
It is a period that will define their season.
Ancelotti said: “I tell the players that they play only for the present – because that is the only way to play for your future.
“The players, like me, are judged on what they do at this moment – not on what they might do in the future.”
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is also f ighting to deliver European footbal l next season and is on a run of just one loss in 11 games.
The former Rangers star is looking forward to returning to one of his former clubs.
He said: “I played there seven years and still have some great memories.
“I made great friends and it was always special for me to play there.
“I’m really looking forward to this game.”