Moyes: Fan comment really bugged me

Outgoing West Ham manager David Moyes has shared a story about an encounter with a West Ham fan following the team’s recent defeat by Crystal Palace. Moyes was noticeably irked by the comment from the supporter who informed him that West Ham’s Europa Conference League win meant ‘nothing’.

Clearly, whoever Moyes spoke to would have been in the minority, as many West Ham fans cherished their first experience of The Hammers winning a trophy. The multitude of fans who travelled to Prague and the huge numbers who followed the victory parade around East London clearly demonstrated how much the victory meant to so many.

However, the encounter has clearly stuck in David Moyes’ mind. Sometimes criticism can linger far longer than praise, even if the vast majority are complimentary and grateful. Perhaps it’s another example of the manager staying on for one season too long, to the point where the team, and the defence in particular, was never going to withstand another season fighting on both fronts.

When speaking to The Standard, Moyes said: “One of the most disappointing things was after our game at Crystal Palace recently,” he admits. “We had lost heavily but afterwards, I decided to go out and sign a few autographs – just thought it was the right thing to do.

“I was standing there and a West Ham supporter came up and said to me, ‘That trophy meant nothing. We only beat two teams, Alkmaar and Fiorentina’.

“I told him he was entitled to his opinion but that really bugged me. Aston Villa would have done anything to have reached this season’s final but they went out to Olympiacos who we had topped in our Europa League group.

“We’ve had three years in Europe in two competitions and won our group on all three occasions, playing Thursday-Sunday which, believe me, is a real challenge.

“That fan who thought it was ‘nothing’ has his opinion but I can tell you that I have had supporters from many other clubs telling me they think West Ham have done amazing.”

It’s a shame that Moyes has taken that one comment to heart so much, but it is human nature to do so. I certainly hope that he can one day take comfort from the thanks he will surely receive over the years, which will undoubtedly outnumber any criticism.

Whilst I personally believe the time is right for Moyes to go, I will always be grateful for that trophy win, and as Aston Villa discovered recently… it isn’t as easy as it seems.