Who wants the thankless task of replacing David Moyes at West Ham?

Just as West Ham seemed to have steadied themselves after a choppy few months in and around the relegation zone, the club has been thrown back into turmoil with speculation over David Moyes’ managerial longevity this week. Though there are conflicting reports on his future at the London Stadium, the word from The Telegraph is that Moyes is unlikely to remain at West Ham beyond the end of the season even if he helps the club avoid relegation.

Though subsequent reports have suggested that Moyes could still earn a new deal if he keeps West Ham up, the last thing his stuttering team needs is a destabilising wrangle over his job status. The Hammers haven’t won in three in the Premier League, including last weekend’s demoralising 3-1 defeat to Brighton, and crashed out of the FA Cup to League One Wigan late last month.

When Moyes was appointed West Ham manager back in November the team were in the bottom three, for perspective. The fact that they are now 12th in the table is proof of their gradual improvement under his tenure, though it should be noted that they are still only three points above Stoke in 18th place. Many have wondered what more Moyes could have done in his short time at the club, though the club hierarchy are probably justified in waiting until safety is confirmed before addressing Moyes’ future. Should they decide to replace him come May, however, they would have to ask themselves who would want his job in good faith.

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There are, of course, plenty of people who would jump at the chance of coaching West Ham. As well as the inevitable has-beens and chancers, there would be those who would see an opportunity to live in London, earn a generous wage and manage low expectations. Marco Silva has been linked with the job and – given the degree of cynicism he showed in his attempts to use Watford as an immediate stepping stone to Everton – he might well fit the bill. He could almost certainly hold out for a more attractive position, however, with Everton still a possibility should the Toffees decide to dispense with Sam Allardyce sooner rather than later.

Lack of identity

When it comes to managers who are looking to further their careers or maybe even manifest their ideals in a ‘project’, there are few Premier League clubs less suitable than West Ham at the moment. The club’s recruitment has been shambolic in recent seasons despite much talk of big-money signings, with even the occasional coup in the transfer market – Javier Hernandez, for instance – wasted on a team which is struggling for identity and a long way from realising the fabled ‘West Ham way’.

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West Ham’s identity struggles are down in no small part to their move to the London Stadium, though fans are still divided on whether or not their new home in Stratford has been their biggest hindrance. The relocation certainly didn’t help Slaven Bilic during the dying days of his time as manager, with the momentum his team built in their final season at Upton Park soon dissipated in the shadow of Westfield.

Then there is the increasingly fraught relationship between West Ham fans, co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan and vice-chairman Karren Brady. Increasingly infuriated by the club’s aimless transfer policy and what they see as empty promises regarding their bright future in Stratford, supporters have taken to chanting ‘sack the board’ at recent matches and displaying banners which call for their removal.

In among all this mess, David Moyes is attempting to get the best out of a listless football team. He may have presided over a fragile form of progress but, in difficult circumstances, he’s done better than many imagined he would. Unfortunately, as things stand, managing West Ham is a thankless task with little to recommend it to a more exciting manager. Until the club regains some semblance of strategy, direction and long-term vision, only masochists and opportunists need apply for the role.