A decent last couple of games in the 2019/20 Premier League season is ultimately what saved West Ham from a certain relegation to the English Football Championship.
David Moyes deserves credit for the way he was able to rally his troops for one last hurrah, however, the truth is that across the season, the level of performance from the Hammers was far from acceptable.
To that end, it seems that the board have quickly reacted and brought in an old face to lighten the coaching burden on the Scot, and West Ham’s first-team squad will certainly know what they’re getting with Stuart Pearce.
Most famously remembered for his time at Nottingham Forest, Pearce did play for the Hammers in the latter part of his career, and was Moyes’ assistant in his first stint at the club.
BBC Sport note that the Hammers board blocked Pearce’s return back in January, but it now seems as though they’ve had a change of heart.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club on both previous occasions and I can’t wait to get started,” he said, cited by BBC Sport.
“I’ve spoken directly with David Sullivan and Karren Brady and I had extremely positive conversations with both of them – they were enthusiastic about me returning.
“It says a lot about them that I’m at West Ham again. I wouldn’t be back if I didn’t believe in the strategy the club, board and the manager have put in place.”
The east Londoners still need quality within their ranks if they want to have a better season than the last, and with only just under four weeks until the new season begins, Moyes doesn’t have long to ship out the deadwood and bring in new faces.
At least he will know that with Pearce in situ, each player will have to give every last ounce of effort in training and matches, or face his wrath… and that’s not a place you want to be.