Gamble: David Moyes believes returning to West Ham was a risk
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)David Moyes says the “risks have paid off” during his second stint as West Ham manager.
Re-appointed in 2019 after the Manuel Pellegrini experiment failed in east London, the 59-year-old has overseen a remarkable turnaround in fortunes, leading his side to their first European semi-final in 46 years last season.
The last two Premier League campaigns have yielded consecutive top-seven finishes for the first time in their top-flight history, and the Europa League success helped develop a connection between the club’s supporters and the London Stadium.
While elements of the summer transfer window have proven frustrating, Moyes has been able to bring in the big-money signings of Nayef Aguerd and Gianluca Scamacca in an attempt to bolster his squad enough to battle across a number of fronts this season.
As good as Moyes has been for West Ham, the benefits go the other way too. Spells at Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sunderland had seen his managerial stock drop, leaving the former Everton boss in a difficult position and seemingly behind the times.
Still, life back in east London has seen Moyes make a triumphant return to the upper echelons of the Premier League and the Scot believes the “risks” he has taken with West Ham have well and truly paid off.
“When I came back the second time, I said I’m going to give this a go because it might have been my last time, who knows?” Moyes told Graham Hunter’s ‘The Big Interview’ Podcast.
“I’d done a couple of jobs that hadn’t quite worked so I probably thought I’m nearly having to throw my ace card on the table here, see how this goes, gamble and take a few risks.
“I think the risks have paid off. It’s the way I want to be, I want to challenge the top managers, the elite teams and I want to see if we can stay around the top.”
