Former West Ham United stars Craig Bellamy and Steve Lomas have reacted to news that Stuart Pearce could be named the club’s new assistant manager.
West Ham sacked Slaven Bilic this week with the side languishing in the Premier League relegation zone after a 4-1 drubbing at home to Liverpool.
The Hammers quickly replaced him with David Moyes, who has been out of work since being relegated with Sunderland last season.
The appointment was met with anger and apathy from the club’s disillusioned supporters who feel it proves the board lacks ambition.
Moyes confirmed in his first press conference as Hammers boss that he was in talks with former Hammer of the Year Stuart Pearce over becoming his assistant in East London.
That was welcomed by supporters as well as former Hammers Steve Lomas and Craig Bellamy who praised the potential appointment on Sky Sports’ The Debate.
“Pearcey’s got vast knowledge of the game,” Lomas told The Debate.
“I don’t think he’ll take any nonsense from the players on the training pitch. He’ll be honest with them, he’ll be firm with them, he’ll say well done but he won’t let players cruise through training.”
And Bellamy said he was hugely impressed by Pearce when playing under him as part of Great Britain’s 2012 Olympics football team.
“I worked with him at the Olympics and I thought he was brilliant I really did, I thought he was different class,” Bellamy said.
“And I’m surprised he hasn’t gone on (up the footballing ladder) since then as well.”
A ringing endorsement if ever there was one, not that Pearce needed it given his reputation among the club’s support.
Some fans may have wanted a bigger, younger or next generation coaching team but one thing is for sure, under Moyes and Pearce there will be no half measures in training or on the pitch come match day.
And if that means West Ham start to climb the table then it is a great fit for the rest of the season at least.
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