Where’s the careful what you wish for brigade now as West Ham dream big

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When West Ham parted company with David Moyes, pundits, journalists and even some of the club’s own fans were queueing up to repeat the same warning.

For most West Ham fans hearing the words ‘careful what you wish for’ has been like nails on a chalkboard.

It became the stock phrase lazily trotted out by journalists, pundits and some fans – inside and outside the club – as David Moyes’ time drew to a close.

In fact it is probably easier to make a list of those who haven’t use the tired, reductive line against West Ham in recent months.

Whether it’s Alan Shearer, Richard Keys, or even former Hammers coaches Stuart Pearce, Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce. Membership of the ‘be careful what you wish for’ brigade grew at an alarming rate.

Most Hammers fans love Moyes and fully appreciate everything he did for their club. Make no mistake about that.

Supporters grew fed up with the low-block, low possession style of play from a manager who was very much old school in a world full of Pep Guardiola disciples.

West Ham fans were chastised for daring to want a more attacking and adventurous approach.

Where’s the careful what you wish for brigade now?

But when fans of teams like Spurs, Villa, Brighton, Bournemouth and even Palace call for a more exciting brand of football, and get it, nothing is said.

The fact is West Ham supporters were perfectly entitled to expect better and more.

By the end of his tenure, Moyes even defended Hammers fans in the face of criticism regarding their expectations.

When technical director Tim Steidten went four weeks without making a signing recently, the football press couldn’t wait to pounce.

Knives were already being sharpened with reports even claiming he could be sacked with the Irons ‘struggling to make signings’.

Those claims were laughed off internally when put to the club’s top brass by Hammers News.

Fast forward a week or so and there is radio silence from the doubters.

Where’s the careful what you wish for brigade now as West Ham dream big.

Steidten and Lopetegui have West Ham in dreamland

Steidten, Julen Lopetegui and West Ham’s owners have rammed those words down the throats of those who so gleefully and readily spouted them in their direction, as if Moyes was propping up this great club on his own.

Moyes was brilliant for West Ham and the Hammers were great for him too.

But if there is one area he held the club back at times, it was in the transfer market.

His insistence on an unrealistic level of due diligence on targets cost West Ham several signings. As did his insistence on having absolute control of transfers and power of veto.

That’s not to say the Scot didn’t help the Hammers dodge a few bullets along the way. He undoubtedly did.

But West Ham and its fans are now seeing what is truly possible in the transfer market with Steidten in charge and Lopetegui’s clear pull.

Fans now seeing what’s truly possible

Every single one of West Ham’s seven – soon to be eight – summer signings has remarked how impressed they were with Lopetegui and Steidten and their vision.

Never mind careful what you wish for, West Ham are daring to dream.

The club is in the midst of what’s being billed by many as their best ever transfer window.

Brazilian teen sensation Luis Guilherme was the first in for £20m from Palmeiras.

Then a shrewd free signing of Wes Foderingham as one of West Ham’s back-ups for Alphonse Areola.

The Hammers splashed £40m to take captain Max Kilman from Wolves.

After a lull which saw Steidten’s credentials questioned, the German responded in some style.

The Championship player of the season Crysencio Summerville arrived in a £26m move to West Ham.

Now Lopetegui must keep the doubters gagged

Then Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug followed close behind for £23.5m.

A day later Argentinian World Cup and two-time Copa America winner Guido Rodriguez was signed on a free to strengthen midfield after a move to Barcelona was cancelled when Xavi departed.

The best was yet to come, though.

West Ham sealed one of the coups of the summer across Europe on Saturday.

French defender Jean-Clair Todibo became signing number seven to have the Hammers in heaven.

Steidten and co helped West Ham beat Juventus to a player Man United also wanted before being blocked by UEFA.

Brilliant Man United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka will be unveiled as West Ham’s eighth addition imminently. And reports claim they’re not done there either.

Lopetegui has come in and along with the technical director Steidten, the owners – and of course sporting director Mark Noble – they have identified weaknesses and areas sorely in need of improvement.

Most importantly, though, they have done something about it swiftly, efficiently and ruthlessly.

Moyes always stated he preferred to work with a small squad. So he could not really complain when injuries restricted his options.

Now West Ham’s squad is bursting with quality in depth and a plethora of options.

And many of those who were telling West Ham fans to be careful what they wish for are tipping the east Londoners as outsiders for a Champions League tilt.

This is no dig at Moyes. After all he is the main reason West Ham have this platform to build on in the first place. But rather a message to those who inferred he was the best it could ever get for this famous old club.

Of course Lopetegui now has to knit it all together and try to combine substance with style at West Ham in order to keep the ‘careful what you wish for’ merchants gagged.

But in future perhaps they should be careful what they say instead.