West Ham United have confirmed they have appointed David Moyes as their new manager, following the sacking of Slaven Bilic. According to Sky Sports, the deal has been signed for a period of six months.

Bilic’s last game in charge was the 1-4 thrashing West Ham received at the hands of Liverpool last weekend, and it seems to have been the final straw for the Croatian manager. It’s now up to Moyes to turn their fortunes around, and his first game in charge will be played on November 19th at the Vicarage Road against Watford.

The former Preston North End, Everton, Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sunderland manager will need to find a way to reshuffle a team that is low on confidence. West Ham also seems to be suffering from severe lack of organization despite having a largely talented squad. There can be very little doubt the task will prove quite a challenge.

Moyes is best known for his very successful 11-year stint at Everton, but he was perceived as a hugely underwhelming replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson following his move to Manchester United. He lasted just under 10 months in Manchester. In the summer of 2016 he took over at Sunderland and suffered relegation with the Black Cats. He left the post in May this year and had been out of work until West Ham came knocking.

Speaking to the club’s official website about having a point to prove, Moyes said:

“Yes, I think I do,” he said. “I’ve managed five clubs since starting out nearly 20 years ago, starting at Preston and then going to Everton. My period at Manchester United is well documented and I then did something I have always wanted to do by experiencing management abroad, with Real Sociedad.

“It’s only been the last job [at Sunderland] where I feel it wasn’t a good move and I didn’t enjoy the experience. So I’m hungry to make sure I get things right now.

“I don’t know any manager who hasn’t gone through negative periods, especially in the game today. I hope it gives me great strength and understanding of what is required.

“The focus here is purely between now and the end of the season. The first thing is to win the next game and build from there, and I’m sure we will be in a much stronger position before long.”

The new manager reported to work immediately, and he will have the benefit of a two-week international break to get to know his players and work on improving their confidence.

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