West Ham United could have just 43 days to appoint ex Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel if the board U-turns over David Moyes.
There has been fervent debate over Moyes’ West Ham future in the wake of the dismal 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
And one name being increasingly mentioned among supporters and on social media is former Chelsea manager Tuchel.
At the start of the season and several times since, Moyes has called for patience and time to mould his new-look West Ham side having spent over £170m on eight new players in the summer.
Chelsea showed zero patience with Tuchel. The Blues, under the new ownership of Todd Boehly, were one of just a couple of Premier League clubs to spend more than West Ham in the summer.
But just six weeks into the campaign Chelsea ruthlessly sacked the German.
Things are not going to plan in the Premier League for West Ham – or indeed Chelsea – this term. The Hammers are just two points off the bottom three while Chelsea are 13 points adrift of league leaders Arsenal one week out from the World Cup break.
With Tuchel out of work and said to be happily still living in London, many have urged West Ham to test the water with an approach to see if he would be interested in replacing Moyes.
The West Ham boss has done a marvellous job in east London but many feel he has taken the club as far as he can and that a more modern, progressive manager is needed.
Moyes’ case to remain is not being helped by the fact West Ham’s decline in league form can be charted back a full year.
The team’s league form dropped off a cliff last November and has been seriously bad for some time. In fact the points total over the last 41 Premier League matches across this season and last would make the Hammers relegation candidates.
Since beating Liverpool 3-2 last November, West Ham have played 41 league games and won just 13 times. Four of those wins have come against relegated Norwich and Watford. Two have come against a poor Aston Villa outfit, there have been two wins over a struggling Wolves, two over newly-promoted sides Fulham and Bournemouth.
Ironically the only quality side West Ham have beaten in the Premier League in the year since that Liverpool win has been Chelsea, in fortuitous fashion when Arthur Masuaku scored a freak goal from a mishit cross in a 3-2 win last December.
Last month Telegraph journalist Matt Law claimed Moyes was skating on thin ice and had to oversee a sharp upturn in West Ham’s results to avoid the Hammers axe.
But speaking to Hammers News on Monday, West Ham majority stakeholder David Sullivan was emphatic in backing Moyes.
It remains to be seen whether poor results in games against promotion-chasing Blackburn and a resurgent Leicester this week might change that stance.
And West Ham could have just 43 days to appoint ex Chelsea boss Tuchel if the board U-turns over Moyes.
According to a host of reports after his shock sacking by Chelsea back in September, Tuchel is in post-Brexit visa limbo with the manager potentially having just 90 days to remain in the UK.
If reports are accurate, there are now just 43 days remaining on that visa before he could be “deported” due to Brexit rules (Telegraph).
The Telegraph states that Tuchel arrived in Britain on a post-Brexit Governing Body Endorsment visa, meaning he could only have 90 days on from his sacking to legally remain in the UK.
A representative for Tuchel told the Telegraph at the time: ‘We will act in accordance with UK rules and adapt all future plans. Final decisions are not made yet.’
Tuchel is still based near Chelsea’s Cobham training ground, while his children still attend school locally according to reports.
“Despite his sacking his stock will remain high, and it is thought that he would open to working again in England where he is likely to feel he has unfinished business, while a move back to Germany could also appeal should an option come up,” reports The Daily Mail.
Deportation means being forced to leave the UK and being unable to return for at least 10 years. Clearly in this case that will not be allowed to happen with Tuchel.
But it is unclear if there would be a set period during which Tuchel would not be able to return to the UK to work once the visa expires.
So if West Ham do have a change of heart over Moyes then the clock will be ticking if Tuchel is on their list of potential replacements.
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