Paul Merson: Leeds United would ‘walk over broken glass’ to hire David Moyes if he’s sacked by West Ham United
Paul Merson believes West Ham would be mad to sack David Moyes, and thinks Leeds would “walk over broken glass” to appoint him if he was available.
The Whites sacked Jesse Marsch (6 February) and have since fallen into the relegation zone, but hired Javi Gracia as their new manager on a “flexible contract” on Tuesday (22 February).
But with talk that Moyes could be the next Premier League manager to face the sack with defeat this weekend, Merson wrote in his Sky Sports column (22 February) that Leeds would be at the front of the queue if he became available.
“It would be one of the biggest shocks in football if West Ham get relegated with David Moyes in charge – he’s thick-skinned and he’s got the experience to get them out of trouble,” he said.
“If Moyes got sacked tomorrow morning Leeds would walk over broken glass to go and get him in. You’ve got to put it in perspective. Leeds would have him in tomorrow morning. It’s a no-brainer.”
Probably not
Moyes’ reputation within the game is really good among clubs looking to be in mid-table and disrupt the teams at the top, but this season he has struggled.
It would be absolutely baffling therefore for Leeds, who are in a relegation battle to appoint Moyes who has currently got a team that he has spent £180m assembling in his own image, battling against relegation too.
Moyes would no doubt feel that he could come in and get a tune out of Leeds’ players, but it would be backwards for Leeds to expect him to get us out of a relegation battle that he has dragged West Ham into in the same season.
Obviously we now have Javi Gracia in charge, and everyone is seemingly on the same page with the fact that he is a solid short-term appointment to get us out of trouble this season.
Sorry Merse, Moyes’ reputation is solid but he is not someone who would be walking into Elland Road with open arms any time soon.
In other Leeds news, a first-team ace is a “major doubt” for Javi Gracia’s first game in charge v Southampton.
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