Next West Ham manager: Contact made with new Champions League-winning boss as squad loses faith in Moyes
Players in the West Ham dressing room are starting to lose faith in manager David Moyes, according to The Guardian, while reports emerging from Italy claim the job has been offered to a top Serie A coach.
Moyes is under mounting pressure to turn things around at West Ham. The Irons sit in 16th place in the Premier League, just a point above the drop zone but with a game in hand. They have won just once in their last six matches in all competitions.
Their last outing ended in a shocking 4-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton. It will have done little to convince fans that the players are working hard for Moyes, or that they are fully prepared for the relegation scrap.
Brighton tore West Ham apart at times, while Moyes’ men were also guilty of some seriously questionable defending. West Ham struggled to create much in attack, but even when they did they failed to show composure.
Moyes is now facing some huge matches which will determine his future at the club. West Ham cannot afford to lose in their upcoming clashes against AEK Larnaca and Aston Villa. If they are beaten in both games, it is likely Moyes will be axed.
According to The Guardian, ‘discontent’ is growing among the players. They are frustrated with results and how Moyes is getting them to play. Senior stars believe they should be playing to their strengths and showing off a more attacking brand of football, something Moyes is against.
It must be noted that West Ham are still capable of producing good performances and results, as shown by the 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest on February 25. However, the feeling around the club is that victories like this one should be more common given the talent at Moyes’ disposal.
As per Italian source La Roma 24, the West Ham board have taken steps to try and replace the Scot. It is claimed they have sent former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho a ‘remarkable proposal’. It includes a lucrative contract and the offer to take part in an ‘ambitious project’, in order to try and tempt him away from Roma.
Manager turns down West Ham job offer
While Mourinho is ‘flattered’ by the approach, he has turned West Ham down. He remains focused on Roma and wants to stay there until at least the end of his contract. That expires in June 2024.
The report adds that the Portuguese will only consider offers from clubs at a similar level to Roma when he decides to leave the Serie A side. Presumably, this means teams who regularly compete in the Champions League or Europa League, something West Ham cannot quite offer.
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Mourinho would have been a great capture for West Ham. He is a serial winner who has won the Champions League twice in his career, as well as the Premier League on three occasions.
He knows how to get the best out of players who might have been underperforming under previous managers.
The only concern if Mourinho was appointed may be his playing style. After all, he does not play the kind of free-flowing attacking football some West Ham players are hoping for.
With Mourinho out of the mix, the Irons could turn to former Liverpool, Newcastle and Everton coach Rafa Benitez to save their season. They have previously looked at Thomas Tuchel, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, although he has rejected them.
Meanwhile, West Ham are among five Premier League teams hoping to land an Arsenal player, according to reports.
