Former West Ham United forward Dean Ashton believes that David Moyes could be the first man on the list replace current boss Manuel Pellegrini, but thinks he is not a long-term option.
Ashton reckons that the former Hammers’ manager had a good spell at the club, but also admits that the team were inconsistent and there were plenty of times when things did not go his way.
Nevertheless, Ashton still thinks that Moyes could be in contention to usurp Pellegrini from the Irons’ hotseat if the Chilean was sacked any time soon – but not as a long-term option.
He adds that Moyes is a manager who can cope under pressure, but most importantly, he was able to bring the best out of ace Marko Arnautovic.
“I think he did well. But there were plenty of games that didn’t go well. They were very inconsistent. I’m not naive to think that just because Pellegrini is struggling that Moyes is the messiah. They had some poor games alongside some good wins,” Ashton told the Express.
“He would be the first name to come out, because he showed he can manage the pressure of coaching a team like West Ham. He’s shown he can get the best from the players and Marko Arnautovic in particular.
“He was a revelation under David Moyes. He’d be the first man on the list but I’m not sure if he’s the right man for the long-term.”
OPINION
Many fans will remember Moyes for keeping West Ham up this season, and it is fair to say that they would rather anyone be in the hotseat right now apart from the Chilean. He has not clicked with the team since taking charge in the Premier League, and it appears as if he has lost his way a little bit. Nevertheless, this is a bold prediction to make by Ashton. Moyes may have secured their top flight survival, but as Ashton points out, his team were rather inconsistent. He could never get a good run of games together, and West Ham do not need that again. They need a manager who can ensure that they go on a pretty good run in order to get some points on the board, and Moyes is not the man to do that. However, he does know West Ham rather well, so it is not the worst shout.