LAST night’s 5-0 thumping of SC Freiberg in the Europa League marked David Moyes’ 250th game in charge of West Ham United.
If you would have told West Ham fans five years ago that they would be beating teams 5-0 in a European competition, they would have bit your hand off.
But that is the new reality at West Ham, who have appeared in Europe three consecutive years and have found stability in the premier league, but the real question is, is it thanks to David Moyes?
Just under a month ago, a two-nil defeat away at Nottingham Forest left fans calling for Moyes to be sacked. Football can be a fickle game as just eight months earlier, West Ham beat Fiorentina 2-1 in the European conference league final, ending the clubs 43-year wait to lift a trophy.
This is not the 60-year-olds first rodeo managing the Hammers, joining in the 2019/20 season replacing Manuel Pellegrini who had left the Hammers in the relegation zone.
In his first transfer window, he brought in influential players: Jarrod Bowen from Hull City, and Tomas Soucek from Slavia Prague, who both made an immediate impact.
West Ham avoided relegation and since then, have gained stability in the premier league, and have appeared in Europe for three years straight, winning the conference league in 2023.
But during his time at the helm, Moyes has often faced criticism from fans about the style of football played.
West Ham have a great mixture of attacking options, led by Brazilian Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus and James Ward-Prowse, but their style of play means sometimes, there are not utilised to their full potential.
No matter what you think about David Moyes, his playstyle or his character, it is extremely clear that he does not get the recognition he deserves for turning West Ham United around.
