Every time David Moyes has won with Everton so far, West Ham fans have been goaded about letting him go – and not just by Toffees fans.
David Moyes has still been the subject of fervent debate at West Ham since his return to football with Everton.
When the Hammers decided to part ways with Moyes, criticism from the wider football world was scathing.
It also seriously divided opinion among some West Ham fans.
Like so many at Everton towards the end of his first spell at Goodison Park, Hammers fans had been calling for change having grown sick and tired of Moyes’ risk averse, low-block style of play.
The Scot will always be hugely respected and fondly remembered in east London.
He helped make fans proud to support West Ham again and even ended the club’s 43-year major trophy drought.
The way things ended between West Ham and Moyes was somewhat regrettable given what he achieved in east London.
West Ham’s owners and fans have been warned ad nauseum to ‘be careful what you wish for’ ever since.
No more Moyes noise as at West Ham
When Julen Lopetegui was appointed, the same pundits, journalists and rival fans could not wait to hit the Hammers with ‘we told you so’.
They did not have to wait long either.
But they missed the point entirely.
Just because many West Ham fans wanted a change from Moyes, doesn’t mean they wanted Lopetegui as his replacement.
The short and disastrous tenure of Lopetegui created further division inside West Ham.
Many of the club’s own fans turned on their fellow supporters over the decision not to retain Moyes.
So when he got a job back at Everton, his progress has been followed very closely indeed.
Moyes recorded three straight Premier League wins with Everton to put them just one point and one place behind 15th placed West Ham.
With every positive result Moyes has gotten, his staunch supporters among West Ham’s fanbase who still feel he should never have been sacked, have goaded those who wanted him out.
Some of the back and forth online has become quite toxic in fact.
Everton’s true top choice finally ends West Ham debate
Fans of other clubs have been sticking the boot in too, including those at Everton.
But now there’s no more Moyes noise as Everton’s true top choice finally ends the great West Ham debate.
Graham Potter has breathed new life into West Ham.
One win from his five games may be nothing to write home about.
But it’s the way West Ham have been playing under Potter – despite a host of injuries to key players – which has really captured the imagination.
Moyes hit a bump when Everton were dumped out of the FA Cup 2-0 at home to Bournemouth at the weekend.
Suddenly there was silence from the Moyes goaders on social media and fan forums.
Because Potter has already showed West Ham were right to want and expect more.
Everton may well do well under Moyes and all power to them.
But it’s no secret the man they really wanted was Potter.
It was in fact Everton who sparked West Ham to sack Lopetegui and hire Potter.
Potter already vindicating West Ham fans over Moyes
They made Potter a big offer. But the Hammers were more appealing to the ex Brighton boss and Everton brought Moyes back instead.
West Ham fans are already loving Potter’s style and approach.
Fans feel like they’ve got their club back again.
Jamie Carragher said West Ham fans deserve everything they get with Potter.
The pundit got the situation spot on when saying he felt Hammers fans were perfectly entitled to see a better style and more attacking philosophy than Moyes offered.
Careful what you wish for? Well this is what West Ham fans really wished for. And Potter has only been at the club for just over a month.
There is a buzz around watching West Ham again for the first time in over a year.
Potter is vindicating those who wanted change from Moyes.
Now the goading and harking back to Moyes must stop because Everton’s true first choice Potter has rather ironically settled the debate for good.
If the change in performance levels is an example of what Potter can achieve after just a month, imagine what West Ham might look like over the next two-and-a-half years.
That same question for Everton under Moyes may have a very different answer in that time frame.
And it will be fascinating to see if Toffees fans are not calling for a more expensive, modern style by then.
Ultimately time will tell. But West Ham are now looking forwards and not backwards for the first time since Moyes’ departure.
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