Bournemouth striker Jermain Defoe believes that David Moyes will succeed in keeping West Ham in the Premier League this season.
The East London club sacked Slaven Bilic earlier in the month following their 4-1 defeat at the hands of Liverpool and after a series of poor performances which left them languishing in the relegation zone.
Just 24 hours later, the club made a decision to appoint Moyes as their new boss. This was largely met with mixed emotions by fans especially considering that Moyes last three managerial stints with Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sunderland were all less than successful.
The Scot started of his managerial stint with the Hammers with a 2-0 defeat against Watford last weekend and then managed a 1-1 draw against Leicester City on Friday night.
“I love West Ham and I love the fans,” said Defoe. “Even when they give me a bit of stick I know, deep down, that they appreciate me and I have so many great memories of the club I’m from the East End too, a lot of my family are West Ham fans and that’s where it started for me.
“Of course it hurts to see them going through a rough time. There is still a long way to go and they have a good manager who is experienced and knows his way around the Premier League.
“I liked playing for David Moyes. He didn’t put any extra pressure on me or try to complicate the game. It was almost as simple as, ‘You’re a goal-scorer – go out there and score goals. Because I’d done it over the years, there were times when he would give me the freedom to go where I wanted, to express myself and find pockets of space where the chances might come.
“On the training pitch, he’s very vocal and hands-on, and training is always very sharp with the accent on quality. He needs time – it’s not easy fighting fires and the last couple of jobs he’s had have been difficult. But with the players he’s got at West Ham, and the quality in that changing room, I think they should be alright.”
