West Ham slipped into the relegation places with defeat against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend and it seems as if the club are starting to consider potential successors to David Moyes at the London Stadium, with Rafa Benitez on the list.
Could Rafa Benitez replace David Moyes at West Ham?
According to the Daily Mail, Moyes will stay in charge for this weekend’s game against Nottingham Forest but Benitez is on standby should those at the London Stadium decide to go in a different direction as they look to ensure the Hammers’ future in the Premier League.
After a superb 2021/22 season which saw West Ham regularly trouble the top four and reach the semi-finals of the Europa League, it was hoped that the club would progress further this season following eye-catching additions such as Gianluca Scamacca, Lucas Paqueta and Maxwel Cornet.
However, Moyes has failed to get a tune out of his new signings, while the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek have struggled to replicate the form they have previously shown in a West Ham shirt.
There may well be a feeling at West Ham that the squad is too good to go down but there is no doubt that the Hammers are in a relegation battle this season and defeat against Forest this weekend could put the nail in Moyes’ coffin.
Could West Ham achieve European glory under Benitez?
The one saving grace for the Irons this season has been their form in the Europa Conference League, with Moyes’ side breezing through the group stages thanks to six wins from six.
In Benitez, the Hammers would not only be getting a manager with huge experience in the Premier League, thanks to previous spells with Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Everton, but also a man who knows how to succeed in Europe.
The 62-year-old Spaniard would win the Champions League with Liverpool in 2006 and the Europa League with Valencia in 2003 and Chelsea in 2013, which emphasises that tournament football is where he truly excels.
Former Norwich City boss Daniel Farke was full of praise for Benitez ahead of a meeting with Everton in 2021, highlighting the veteran’s ability to perform under pressure and keep his team’s organised.
He said: “He’s [Benitez] won so many important games during his career and has so much experience with teams who are always unbelievably difficult to beat. His teams are always well-structured and it is not easy to open them and create chances.”
A new manager bounce might prove enough to keep West Ham in the Premier League but if Benitez could arrive and steer the Hammers to success in Europe, then this season could perhaps still be considered a success, so Sullivan should definitely consider the Spaniard as Moyes’ successor.
