David Moyes has promised to put on his dancing shoes and treat West Ham fans to a Gay Gordons jig if his team win the FA Cup.
Having seen Erik ten Hag bust out some moves after Manchester United won the EFL Cup on Sunday, Moyes has offered to go one better should the Hammers win their first major trophy since 1980.
United stand in the way of a quarter-final place at Old Trafford on Wednesday night and Moyes has been struck by a couple of fresh injury blows with full back Vladimir Coufal and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski sidelined. Striker Danny Ings is also cup tied but Moyes has laid down a carrot for his players by offering to show off his Scottish country dancing.
“I certainly would dance,” Moyes said. “Don’t worry, if I win a trophy, I will be flipping dad dancing and everything. Have you seen the Scottish Gay Gordons and the real dancing? That’ll be it.”
But for Moyes to kickstart a ceilidh at Wembley, back-up goalkeeper Alphonse Areola will need to come good. The France international has only started twice all season and is now set for a prolonged spell as first-choice after Fabianski broke a cheekbone and eye-socket in Saturday’s win against Nottingham Forest.
Fabianski, 37, is out of contract in the summer - though the club have an option to extend by a year - and he has already been assessed by a surgeon. Moyes confirmed that the club’s long-term plan has been for Areola to eventually replace the Polish veteran.
And with Tottenham stopper Hugo Lloris announcing his international retirement after the World Cup, Moyes is also calling on Areola, 30, to stake a claim for the No1 shirt for his country ahead of next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers.
“It's not only a big chance for Alphonse but the French national team,” Moyes said. “Lloris is retired so there's an opening when the international teams get called up in the next few weeks. It would give him a great chance to showcase himself and become France's number one.
“We told him eventually he will take over from Lukasz Fabianski. Let's be fair Lukasz Fabianski has played ever so well. He’s experienced, steady, very reliable, very calm in his goalkeeping.
“If anything he's gone on a bit longer. Maybe we thought Fonz might have been there by now but it's more to do with how well Lukasz has played.”
