Former Juventus defender and Marseille coach Igor Tudor is reportedly a candidate to take over from David Moyes should West Ham United opt to move on from the Premier League veteran.
When the Scot was celebrating arms high and eyes wide following West Ham’s dramatic UEFA Conference League final victory over Fiorentina at the start of June, he surely could not have predicted the negativity that would be hanging over the Hammers two months later.
Julen Lopetegui looks certain to be the first Premier League boss to leave his post; Gary O’Neil his apparent replacement at Wolves. But David Moyes might not be far behind. Especially if West Ham make a sluggish start to life post-Declan Rice.
David Moyes future uncertain at West Ham
Tuttomercatoweb in Italy report that Igor Tudor, a two-time Serie A champion with Juventus in the early 2000s, is a candidate to take Moyes’ place.
The tough-talking Croatian is currently without a club, and could take over immediately if required. Despite finishing third in Ligue 1 last season – guiding Marseille into the Champions League – Tudor resigned for ‘personal reasons’.
While the results were largely impressive, Tudor’s outspoken, heart-on-his-sleeve methods did not lead to a particularly warm relationship with some members of the playing squad; Marseille’s former West Ham talisman Dimitri Payet one of those who questioned his man-management techniques.
“I was not in his plans. I would have liked for him, sometimes, to trust me more,” Payet told L’Equipe.
“We all got acquainted with someone who was coarse and blunt. In his manners and words, he was authoritative. We were all a bit shocked.
“With a little hindsight, he was excessively harsh at first to mark his territory and implement some measures.”
Payet admits that Tudor’s cold-shoulder approach did thaw over time.
What’s more, Tudor’s ability to thrive in high-pressure circumstances should stand him in good stead should he take over a West Ham side who – in the modern era – have often fallen short of lofty expectations.
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