There is probably not a soul out there who has dealt with David Moyes and not found him to be a character of strong principles and morals.
Not a soul. At least I’ve not met one.
Yet there is probably not a soul out there who can justify his decision to start Kurt Zouma against Watford, no matter how he tries to explain it.
And surely the board, Messrs Gold and Sullivan and Lady Brady, must have sanctioned it.
The debate had raged all day as to what Zouma’s fate should be. The more draconian called for him to be drummed out of English football.
For me, a suspension, a severe financial penalty and a stringent education course would have been the way to go.
But that debate is already irrelevant.
Apology, presumably a fine to come, and crack on Kurt.
It’s not quite as abhorrent as Zouma’s actions … but not far off.
What were they thinking?
What was a club, supposedly with a strong sense of the community, thinking?
Never mind reading the room, Moyes and the West Ham board should have been as repulsed as the entire country when they saw the video and told Zouma to stay out of their sight until an official punishment was decided.
That would have been the normal human reaction.
Instead, they have done English football and the Premier League a grave disservice.
Those who, wrongly, believe that professional football and the Premier League, in particular, is a moral wasteland will now consider themselves utterly vindicated.
And Moyes did that favour for them when he put Zouma’s name on the team sheet.
Moyes once took pride in fielding the dogs of war … he can take none whatsoever in fielding the cowardly cat-kicker.
A shameful moment for West Ham, the Premier League and English football.
