Despite having been replaced by Julen Lopetegui after winning the Uefa Conference League in 2022/23 – the club’s first major trophy since 1980 – and still without a club since leaving West Ham United at the end of last season, Chris Sutton believes David Moyes would turn down the Scotland national team job if offered the opportunity.
Sutton is convinced Moyes is the ‘standout’ candidate to take over at the Hampden dugout should current manager Steve Clarke depart. However, he believes the former Everton and Manchester United manager would reject the opportunity.
As for the Hammers, their start to life under Lopetegui hasn’t exactly been pitch perfect, although they secured a morale-boosting 4-1 win over Ipswich Town, just their second Premier League victory of the season before the international break.
Given the job Moyes did in his second spell at West Ham, there’s no doubt he would remain an attractive prospect for many Premier League clubs. Following up on that, the 61-year-old is reportedly being tracked as a possible replacement for Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace.
Switching the perspective to the Scotland national team, the manager’s job is one that may become available sooner than expected, with Steve Clarke under pressure after a run of just one win in their last 15 games across all competitions.
A 2-0 victory over Gibraltar represents their only success during that run, which has seen them lose 10 times — including their last four matches.
“One win in 15 isn’t a good look but the performances are there. That’s probably not comforting to Scottish fans at this moment in time,” former Blackburn Rovers and Celtic striker Sutton told the It’s All Kicking Off podcast via West Ham Zone.
“The name which stands out if Steve Clarke does go would be David Moyes. Would he be keen to take that job? I’m not sure he would.”
Scotland have one more game remaining in this international break, hosting Portugal in Uefa Nations League A with a win vital to preserve their chances of avoiding relegation.