Now with the season complete and safety assured a week ago, it is now decision time for owners David Sullivan and David Gold on David Moyes either being the manger into next season for West Ham United, or see a third manager in one year.

We at Brace The Hammer decided to have our full say on whether Moyes should stay or be replaced.

James Roper

The truth is nobody can deny Moyes has done the job he was hired for and done so with utmost respect for the fans and history of the club, as well as undoubtedly improved the overall fitness of the squad. Can’t ask for more than that, especially with the pittance he’s being paid in today’s game.

That said, the tactics have been dire, the game management has been cowardly at best, and we’ve been heavily reliant on at least three teams being worse than us this season. Not to mention the constant throwing under the bus of his players, especially young Declan Rice.

We can’t progress any further under David Moyes, or any manager for that matter, unless they are backed in the transfer window. David Moyes staying as manager come next season wouldn’t be a disaster, providing he is properly given a war chest and supported by our board. However it would definitely be a missed opportunity if we don’t get somebody more ambitious.

At the very least, the board need to listen to the fans and factor it in to the decisions based around Moyes’ future. COYI

Trevor Criswell

I think Moyes probably needs to go. He did an admirable job keeping the Irons up but there was a lot of what we had seen under Slaven Bilic that continued under Moyes. While he inherited the squad and seemed to unlock Arnautovic, the performances were extremely mediocre. There was no real time in the last six months that it felt like we really dominated games and even with solid leads; we broke down too easily against top sides after conceding, even if we were better organized. It’s a pretty raw deal for Moyes, but he didn’t show enough to instill confidence in the fan base.

Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images

Jackson Schmidtke

I know it’s a cop out but I really don’t know what to do about Moyes. He came in and did the job we wanted. He got Marko firing on all cylinders and did a decent job with a mismatched squad. I think he’s a bit inflexible with his tactics and I don’t see him taking us to the next level. On the other hand I don’t know if there is anyone that is a sure fire upgrade at this point.

Jack Kavanagh

Moyes achieved what he needed to when he took over from Bilic, despite a nerve-wracking relegation battle West Ham never came close to danger under his tenure. Considering all that has happened this year a 13th place finish is nothing short of miraculous, but I don’t think Moyes is the right long-term appointment for the Hammers. The fans have more than enough shit football in their time and I foresee a difficult second season.

I’d prefer West Ham go for a big name manager and really make something ambitious happen, if we can some how land Manuel Pellegrini or Unai Emery as the papers are suggesting it would be huge. We should have more ambition as a club at this point, the best Moyes can give us a mid-table finish long-term, it’s time for a big move from West Ham this off-season.

VAMOS

David Moyes was appointed to West Ham United with a set mandate: simply to keep the club in the Premier League, nothing more and nothing less. In that sense, he’s delivered. Personally, I think that entitles him to another go at improving the situation overall. When David took over it really did seem as though things couldn’t get any worse; and despite the general opinion at the time that he was the wrong man for the job I think he proved everyone wrong - at least in the season that’s just finished. Okay, there might be some higher profile managers on the circuit who will come in if given the chance, but will they simply use West Ham United as a stepping-stone if things go well and then be off at the first opportunity? David needs some managerial stability after Sunderland and Sociedad; and so too do West Ham. Sticking with him for the season to come might turn out to be best for all concerned’.

Jonathan Lines

100% stay David Moyes for me, and I’ve thought it for weeks. This is probably a minority view, given that West Ham Twitter is fiercely against him. I really don’t understand how anyone can look at our season and say blame Moyes for our failings when he’s had one fit senior centre-back, literally zero attacking wide players and no proper holding midfielder, as well as an injury to Lanzini to cope with and made us competitive.

He’s organized us, made us fitter, made us play as a team and plainly made us better. He achieved the task set out to him and with 9 points in the bank by the end.

But things are never good enough for some of our fans, who are too ready to complain that Moyes is too negative for not playing two up top... evidently blind to how bad the defense is and that Hernandez hasn’t fit the bill for most of the season.

West Ham fans need to ask themselves what they seriously want and expect from next season, especially given the major surgery we need on the squad. For me, mid-table is fine as long as there is at no point the threat of another relegation battle. Give Moyes a full pre-season, control over transfers and a commitment from the board to land the players he asks for (not likely), I see him comfortably delivering on that wish. This club needs some stability.

Chad Hoy

As far as keeping Moyes: I don’t necessarily want to keep Moyes, but what other options are there? He’s also not completely terrible. He kept us up, and aside from a few tactical blunders (that were mighty reminiscent of Slaven), the squad even played to their full potential at times, After this season, though, I don’t know that any manager will want to come anyway. There are the folks that have been linked via the rumor mill, like Pellegrini (who will definitely not come) and of course Benitez (who will also definitely not come). Hell, Moyes might not even want to stay. I do know how this board works, and Moyes is a “big name,” so they’ll stick with him regardless. He did exactly what he was supposed to do which was keep the squad up, and they’re happy enough with that because they can continue making their money.

I think if Moyes does stay it will be almost the exact same season. He kept us up, sure, but I think Slaven would have done about the same as Moyes. The only thing I really like that Moyes did was give Rice a chance in the first team and how he stuck with Rice while he continued to learn. I’ll be fine with Moyes staying if he will work to put Reece Oxford and Reece Burke in the starting eleven as well. This team (mostly on the defensive end) is desperate for a youth movement, and it’s time our youth get their chance. They’re all about the age that they should be getting their licks in the Premier League. All I want is a manager who will be willing to do that. If that’s Moyes, then I’m okay with him sticking around.

Wallace Milner

I understand why Moyes has received criticism, and I certainly wouldn’t be heartbroken to see him go. However, if everyone-the managerial staff, the players, and the board members-is content with the situation, I see no reason to make a change.

Andrew Jones

Moyes did the job that he was here to do, and credit to him. This was really his last firm chance in a while to prove he could still be a Premier League, or UEFA Big Five league, manager after his failures at Real Sociedad and especially Sunderland (Manchester United is just a big club situation that all shouldn’t hold against him for managing regular clubs). The Scot was able to show that he still has that ability to coach this level to reputable results. So regardless of what the owning Davids decide, this won’t be the last time in a while that Moyes will be a tactician in the world’s best league.

With all the praise and “good job” lad” sentiments placed, the Davids know that better managers at the moment are on the market and why they are already secretly pursuing them. Marco Silva may decide to go to Everton, with how they have long been thirsty for him, and Unai Emery may take himself a break after the constant stress of being nowhere near a Champions League crown with PSG (as well as Neymar’s first year of acting like an annoying diva in his career) or return to Sevilla. But both have West Ham firmly on their radar for a reason.

No matter this club’s dysfunction, as long as they are in the Premier League, West Ham United is certainly an attractive enough job for a good to average manager. And what is the situation for the club if Moyes, who did the bare minimum, struggles at the start of the season? The embarrassing fan protest still happened in the middle of his tenure. Who is to say that won’t happened again next season?

The owning Davids seek a manager that plays the attractive football that the club feel is part of its makeup, and Moyes isn’t that. It’s better off having a season of a new manager where, even if there are early struggles of a team outside the 10, there won’t be a ticking clock counting down the days to an inevitable departure.

The message for me would be firmly, “Great job David, but we’re going to go in a different direction for the long time good of the club.”