West Ham United, as a whole, is starting to subscribe to the idea that David Moyes won't be at the helm next season, that change is necessary, essential, even, to the continuing development of this fantastic Premier League club.
For a few more weeks, the Hammers are titled the reigning Europa Conference League champions. Silverware will not arrive at Moyes' door this year but he can hold his head high after bestowing upon east London a special journey, a journey beyond the hopes and dreams of the staunch supporters.
But the Scotsman is out of contract in the summer, he's possibly run his course – and that's okay. Change is part of football's cyclical rotation, and Moyes leaves as a legend, bringing to West Ham the very thing that fans devote entire lives to, to watching players on a pitch, in the hope of attaining that wonderful, elusive flame of joy.
West Ham's search for a manager
West Ham's sporting director, Tim Steidten, has ramped up his outfit's search for a new gaffer after a recent slump in form and long-lasting disgruntlement surrounding Moyes' negative tactics – as the vernacular puts it – and while Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim travelled to London for face-to-face discussions this week, he's not the only manager under consideration.
Indeed, according to TEAMtalk, the Irons are interested in sealing a swoop for Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic, who is considered one of the finest young managers in Europe and previously worked for the Hammers as Slaven Bilic's assistant.
How West Ham would play under Edin Terzic
Terzic, who is 41 years old, is not the rising manager in the German Bundesliga right now but he is demonstrating leadership qualities that could see him thrive at the highest level. He's already leading Dortmund, who are fifth in the league standings, but the allure of the Premier League could see West Ham prevail.
Manchester United are also interested in the German-Croatian, with Erik ten Hag's position at Old Trafford tenuous at best, but West Ham boast a wealth of quality in their squad and could canvass a proposal to continue the fine work done by Moyes and co.
Given the noise around Moyes' tactics, fans would relish the shift in style that Terzic would bring, having been lauded for his similarities to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Indeed, passion, fire and fury are staples of Terzic's Yellow Wall squad, boasting a kind of tactical flexibility that often starts with a 4-2-3-1 formation that morphs into a back-three when necessary.
Amorim invariably equips his line-up with a three-man defence to serve his possession-based system, but Terzic's willingness to adapt and bend his system could be a major selling point for Steidten and co.
Bundesliga
30
16
9
5
1.90
Champions League
10
5
2
3
1.80
DFB-Pokal
3
2
0
1
2.00
While Dortmund capitulated at the eleventh hour in the Bundesliga title race last season, the trappings of success are found in every corner at the Signal Iduna Park, having built from the stones of defeat to dispatch Atletico Madrid earlier in April and advance to the Champions League semi-finals, awaiting group stage adversaries Paris Saint-Germain.
Terzic's attacking tactical disposition, warm man management qualities and past experience in English football (with West Ham) make him the perfect fit, one that might just bear fruit for a club seeking the next phase in a prosperous history.
West Ham could forget about Lopetegui by hiring "incredible" manager
Tim Steidten is a huge fan of this attack-focused boss.
ByAngus Sinclair Apr 26, 2024