It’s reached a critical stage for West Ham manager David Moyes. The Scottish gaffer has presided over a remarkably poor turn of form, collecting just five points from the last 10 games. This surely cannot continue, any more bad results could see things get toxic, and West Ham tickets sales could falter. If the Hammers lose to Everton this weekend and Moyes is sacked, who could the club replace him with? Find out here.
Rafa Benitez
The name many people are tipping to be at the top of West Ham’s list is Rafa Benitez. With a managerial record that includes time at Liverpool, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Napoli, and Chelsea, he certainly has both the pedigree and experience required to make him a serious contender.
Recent reports that Benitez rejected a job offer from Serie A side Salernitana have sent the rumour mill into overdrive. Could the Spaniard be making his way to London Stadium as Moyes departs? Only time will tell.
Nuno Espirito Santo
Another name that is being widely reported is Nuno Espirito Santo. Currently managing in Saudi Arabia, Santo previously managed Wolves for four years, where he managed to secure their promotion to the Premier League for the first time in six years. After an ill-fated spell at Spurs, Santo moved to the Middle East where he is now in charge of the Saudi Arabian team Al-Ittihad.
Could we see Santo leave the comfort of Saudi Arabia and return to the hotbed of the Premier League? It’s certainly a possibility, but not one that many fans would be so keen on. Santo is known for playing defensive, utilitarian football that isn’t necessarily pleasing on the eye. Nonetheless, he remains one of the favourites for the job.
Marcelo Bielsa
Argentinian manager Marcelo Bielsa is currently out of work after having been sacked by Leeds back in February of last year. This could be something of a wildcard appointment, but one that is sure to get fans off of their seats. Bielsa is renowned for his frenetic, high-energy playing style, with a commitment to attack that often comes at the expense of defense.
However, West Ham are in a fragile state. Bielsa’s wild and often cavalier approach means that he may not be the man to steady the ship.
Thomas Tuchel
This would be a dream appointment for West Ham fans and would signal the club’s ambitious intentions. Out of work since departing Chelsea, Tuchel has been hailed as an incredibly forward-thinking modern football manager with innovative ideas about tactics and strategy.
However, this would be a big scalp for West Ham. Tuchel has also been linked with jobs in La Liga as well as, strangely, the Ghana national team.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, it seems like the writing may be on the wall for David Moyes. There is a good chance one of the above-listed managers could step in as a replacement, but we’ll just have to wait and see.
Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash
