West Ham legend launches stinging attack on board for ‘hanging David Moyes out to dry’ and demands ‘better’
WEST HAM legend Tony Cottee has blasted the “classless” board for hanging David Moyes out to dry – calling for “change at the top”.
Both the Hammers and Moyes, who is out of contract this summer, insist no decision will be made on his future until after the end of the season.
However, the Scot is expected to leave with the club already meeting potential successors in Julen Lopetegui and Ruben Amorim.
Cottee accused the club of creating uncertainty which has damaged West Ham’s finish to the season following the 5-0 defeat to London rivals Chelsea.
Moyes has brushed off any suggestion an announcement should be made before the end of the season.
However, Cottee wants everyone to give the ex-Everton boss, who won the club’s first trophy for 43 years last summer, a send off in their final home game against Luton next week.
Cottee, 58, made 285 appearances for West Ham in two spells from 1982-88 and 1994-96, scoring 118 goals.
Posting on X, Cottee said: “Absolute joke of a Board!!
“Hung out to dry our third best Manager ever, publicly courting and talking to other Managers (who aren’t as good as Moyesy imo), is really poor and classless.
“It now seems obvious that it’s time to change Manager but there are ways of doing it.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
“Please Make an announcement and give the Manager the send off he deserves against Luton.
“Yes, the team was awful today but the worst thing at a football club is uncertainty and the Board are fully complicit in creating that since we won the Cup!
Who could replace David Moyes at West Ham?
Who could replace David Moyes at West Ham?
- Julen Lopetegui (unattached)
- Ruben Amorim (Sporting Lisbon)
- Graham Potter (unattached)
- Paulo Fonseca (Lille)
- Will Still (unattached)
“The circus is fully back in town and 14 years is far too long, a change is needed at the top!
“I’ve had enough!!! Our loyal fans deserve so much better.”
Asked about his future, Moyes: “I am going to talk to the board at the end of the season so we will do that then.”
On the defeat to Chelsea, he added: “Too many poor things in the game.
“It’s happened several times this season, which I’ve certainly not enjoyed. I didn’t enjoy today at all.
“Players not in their positions, running out of position, opening up too easily.
“I actually thought the second-half at least we made it harder but then we gave away two ridiculous goals in the second-half, two terrible goals.
“Not good, we were lacking toughness, leadership and mental toughness.
“We’ve now had two away games where we’ve conceded five.
“The manager will always take the responsibility because that’s what you do in this job, you have to prepare them and get them right, setting them up.
“Somewhere along the line the players have to take responsibility for doing their jobs, being hard to play against, being aggressive and competitive. I question if we were all that in the first-half.”