West Ham’s explanation for rejecting Ruben Amorim as a potential replacement for David Moyes sheds light on why the club didn’t pursue interest in Arne Slot either.
Speculation circulated yesterday that Amorim had agreed personal terms with the Hammers, only for the deal to fall through when David Sullivan reportedly refused to pay €10 million in compensation to Sporting Lisbon. However, the club has refuted this claim, acknowledging that while discussions did occur, there was no concrete deal.
A top source revealed to Claret & Hugh clarified the real reason Amorim didn’t succeed Moyes: “He could be an amazing manager, but he’s only done it with one club in his own country. We all thought he was a big risk,” claimed our insider at the LS.
While this assessment slightly misrepresents Amorim’s career (Sporting is his third club in Portugal), it suggests that at 39, he was deemed too inexperienced to be entrusted with leading the Hammers.
Liverpool’s Slot has started the season impressively at Anfield, yet comparisons with Amorim are obvious. The Dutchman, slightly older at 46, is still regarded as a young manager. Like Amorim, Slot has managed just three clubs in his country, achieving remarkable results with the relatively modest Feyenoord, overcoming the Dutch big hitters Ajax and PSV.
Slot’s record closely resembles Amorim’s at Sporting, where he turned the club into regular league contenders against Porto and Benfica. It seems West Ham are very cautious about young, promising managers and places a premium on Premier League experience. This indicates that even if another innovative, young manager begins winning trophies abroad, he may not be in the running for the top job at the Hammers.
