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Were West Ham United correct to let David Moyes go, or do the issues the club face run far deeper than his exit?

It has been no secret that since the departure of David Moyes, the club has been in turmoil. After the Scotsman left the club, West Ham have obtained a shocking record of just 0.9 points per game, with three managers contributing to a win percentage of just 22% over the span of 16 months.




This vastly differs from Moyes’ latest tenure at the Hammers, in which he led the team to a 45% win percentage, totalling 1.5 points per game. This form helped West Ham to respective 6th, 7th and 9th places, after a tricky first season in 2019/20.

The Scotsman also guided the club to European glory as they lifted the Europa Conference League trophy in June 2023, just 12 months before he was let go. This leads the question to arise, why was he let go so easily after years of success, after he helped drag the club from the ruins to playing European football?

Well, the answer may be simpler than it seems. West Ham United are often described as an ambitious club, with owner David Sullivan asserting a ‘seven-year plan’ to get the Hammers into the UEFA Champions League when he took over in 2010. He later went on to write on the official club’s website that the goal was to win the Premier League, an aim he said was inspired by Leicester’s miracle win in 2016.

His so called ‘ambition’ has been highlighted by questionable managerial appointments, and over-the-top, extravagant transfers that have been in hindsight a massive overpay. This, along with a much fan criticism for Moyes, may have led to his demise and eventual departure.

This seems an unfair decision, but when you investigate the details, you can see the fans’ point of view as to why the current Everton manager had to go when he did. David Moyes in his last six months for the Hammers had amounted only five wins in 25 matches, with humiliating defeats to Crystal Palace (5-2), Arsenal (6-0), and Chelsea (5-0) - not to mention the earlier embarrassing 5-0 defeat to Fulham in December 2024.

This string of poor form, along with embarrassing defeats and a lacklustre style of football meant that by the end of the 2024/25 season, it felt inevitable that his contract would not be renewed. Even Moyes himself has said that he felt it was the best decision for both parties, however West Ham’s 16 months since he left have said otherwise.

So, why are West Ham United in such turmoil now, and what decisions have left the club in such a situation? The answer may just lie in the higher-ups and their decision making since his leave.

After leaving, West Ham first looked to Spaniard Julen Lopetegui, a manager that had previously won a Europa League title as well as possessing a CV that included the likes of Real Madrid and the Spain national team. This was initially met with distaste from supporters as Lopetegui had previously left Wolves, following an average campaign where they finished 13th.




The fans’ opinions were soon backed up, as Lopetegui’s tenure was so poor that he lasted just six months, after back-to-back defeats to Liverpool and Manchester city, 5-0 and 4-1 respectively.

This meant that West Ham turned to Graham Potter, a strange decision considering the supporters were seeking for an ambitious manager with an exciting style of football. Nevertheless, fans backed the Englishman, despite his last flop managerial stint at Chelsea. However, results did not improve as West Ham finished in 14th with just 43 points.

But Potter didn’t have a pre-season to work with, so was given a chance at the start of the 2025/26 season. However, from the off, the English manager was under pressure, as defeats to Sunderland and shipping five goals at home to Chelsea showed no signs of improvement. This meant that Potter was sacked just six games into the season, having won only one game.

Coincidentally that one victory was against West Ham’s current manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who joined the club after fallout with Nottingham Forest’s ownership, and after his defeat to the Irons led to his sacking. Nuno’s time at West Ham has unfortunately followed suit to the poor form of the last two managers, as the Portuguese had just three wins on his belt since joining in September prior to Saturday's win at Tottenham.

However, Nuno has brought some glimmers of hope to the side, with the introduction of several Academy graduates and new signing Valentino Castellanos whose goals may be able to deliver some hope to an already depreciating fanbase.

So, was West Ham right to let Moyes leave, or should he have stayed? Well, I can never say for sure, but I do believe that the issues stem from poor decision-making since Moyes’ departure, rather than consequently from Moyes leaving.


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