West Ham’s poor run of form continued recently with a dismal 6-0 defeat at the hands of London rivals Arsenal, who dominated from start to finish at the London Stadium, much to the frustration of the home supporters.
That defeat means that West Ham face a tough task ahead if they’re to look at breaking into the top-six in the Premier League. Some sections of the club’s fanbase want manager David Moyes replaced at the earliest of opportunities due to their poor run of form. We’ll take you through four managers that West Ham could potentially turn to as a replacement for Moyes if he was to be relieved of his manager duties with the Hammers.
1) Graham Potter
Potter should be West Ham’s number one target to take charge of the club, especially after how well his spell in charge of Brighton & Hove Albion was earlier in his managerial career. Potter started his spell in management with Swedish side Östersunds FK, before taking charge of Swansea City, in a spell which lasted just shy of a year.
He then moved to Brighton & Hove Albion, which is where he made a name for himself in the world of football management. This didn’t go unnoticed either, as Potter was announced as Chelsea’s new manager, although that spell with the Blues was one to forget, as he was sacked after just eight months in charge at Stamford Bridge. He’ll have a point to prove in the Premier League again, and a move to West Ham could present him with the ideal opportunity to do just that.
It’s been revealed by betting experts at mybettingsites.co.uk that Potter is priced at 10/1 on Sky Bet to be Gareth Southgate’s potential successor for the England job. However, it remains to be seen as to whether the former Brighton boss has any interest in a potential step into international management with the Three Lions.
2) Frank Lampard
It’s safe to say that Lampard’s spell in management has been one full of ups and downs so far. He guided Derby County to the Championship play-off final in his first spell in management, which they lost to Aston Villa at Wembley. He then took charge of his former club Chelsea, which wasn’t the most memorable of spells, with Lampard being dismissed from his role in charge in 2021.
He was then with Everton, but was sacked from that role in January 2023 after a run of one win from 11 matches, which saw the Toffees occupying a spot in the relegation zone. He returned to Chelsea in a caretaker manager role, but hasn’t been in the managerial dugout since. Having played for West Ham in the past, he’ll know the club well, and Lampard will feel as though he has a point to prove as a manager after some disappointing spells to date.
3) Kieran McKenna
McKenna had previously been Jose Mourinho’s assistant manager whilst the pair were working at Manchester United in the 2018/19 season. McKenna moved into the managerial hot-seat with Ipswich Town in 2021, and he hasn’t looked back since. He’s guided Ipswich Town into the Championship in the 2022/23 season, and has kept up that winning mentality in the second-tier of English football, with the Tractor Boys well in contention to mount a serious push for a top-two finish.
His possession-based style of football is pleasing on the eye, and he could be the ideal candidate to take West Ham onwards and upwards. McKenna is a manager in-demand though, with many other Premier League clubs rumoured to be keen on appointing him as their new manager heading into the 2024/25 season, so West Ham would have to act fast if they were keen on appointing him.