The Unsung Maestro of West Ham United
David Moyes: No Other Manager Comes Close
“Credit where credit’s due” is a maxim more honoured in the breach than the observance when it comes to David Moyes and West Ham United. For Jarrod Bowen, the Hammers’ dynamic forward, the silence surrounding Moyes’ accomplishments at the helm is nothing short of baffling.
The Moyes Era: A Tapestry of Success
Let’s put this into perspective. The Hammers were perched precariously, a mere point and slot above the relegation quicksand when Moyes assumed the managerial role in December 2019. Fast forward, and we’re talking about a club that has tasted the sweet nectar of success, capturing their first major title since 1980 by winning the Europa Conference League last season.
“What he’s done for this club I don’t think any other manager would come close to,” asserts Bowen in an interview with 5 Live Sport. No mere platitude, that. Under Moyes, West Ham have carved two top-seven finishes and even ventured into the semi-finals of the Europa League. The transformation has been seismic, to say the least.
The Current State of Play
After a triumphant 3-1 victory against Brighton this past weekend—a game that saw Bowen himself on the score sheet along with James Ward-Prowse and Michail Antonio—West Ham now find themselves in the lofty environs of second place in the Premier League, amassing seven points from their first three outings.
From Survival to Ambition
“When I joined, they were in a relegation battle,” recalls Bowen, who switched gears from Hull City to West Ham in January 2020. The trajectory since has been upward, both for the club and the player. “He kept the club up, then we had two seasons of finishing sixth and seventh, getting to a Europa League semi-final, going all the way and winning the Conference League,” he elaborates.
A Matter of Respect
And it’s not just about the gongs and plaudits. The essence of Moyes’ managerial craft lies in his adeptness at moulding a cohesive unit, harmonising the dressing room and the training ground with a sense of purpose.
“Since I’ve signed we’ve had a really good group and that’s spearheaded by the manager,” states Bowen. “He believes in what he wants around the dressing room and training ground every day. Discipline, routines. Everyone has bought into that and you can see what happens when they do.”
It’s a symphony orchestrated with discipline and ambition, and everyone has tuned their instruments to the Maestro Moyes.
According to BBC Sport, while accolades may not always rain down upon Moyes, within the four corners of West Ham United, the respect for the man is palpable. It’s high time the broader football world listens to the music he’s been orchestrating so brilliantly.
