West Ham manager David Moyes has filled out his backroom staff by appointing Alan Irvine and Stuart Pearce as assistants, with Sunderland coach Billy McKinlay set to follow in the coming days.
Moyes was confirmed as the Hammers manager last week after Slaven Bilic was sacked, despite significant adverse reaction from the club’s supporters. Now he has brought in two men he has worked with before, while Pearce returns to the club he made 50 appearances for between 1999 and 2001.
Irvine was Moyes’ assistant at Everton and Preston North End, but broke away to pursue his own managerial career, the most recent appointment being at Norwich where he was caretaker at the end of last season. McKinlay, who was on Moyes’ coaching staff at Real Sociedad and Sunderland, had been in caretaker charge of the Black Cats along with Robbie Stockdale after the dismissal of Simon Grayson. While West Ham said in a statement on their website they “hope to confirm the appointment” of the Scot in the coming days, Sunderland said on their official website that he has left them to link up with Moyes.
“I’m really looking forward to coming in and getting involved,” Pearce, former England under-21s manager but who hasn’t worked in the game since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in 2015, told West Ham’s website.
“The opportunity to work with David Moyes, who I have respected greatly over the years, was a big factor, as was having previously played for the club.
“It’s been many years since I was there for a couple of seasons, but I really enjoyed my time. The West Ham fans were fantastic to me and I’m looking forward to coming back.
“It’s tough times at the moment but it’s a fantastic opportunity for me. I’m really excited by the challenge.”
The Hammers are third bottom in the Premier League, which led to Moyes replacing Bilic a week ago.
“I’m delighted to be given this opportunity and am really looking forward to the challenge ahead,” Irvine said.
“I obviously know David well from our time together at Preston and Everton, and it was certainly a big attraction to work with him again, as was the thought of coming to a club like West Ham.
“This is the sixth job I have been offered since leaving Norwich at the end of last season – some of which were very attractive – but it’s the first one that has persuaded me to accept, so I hope that says a lot about how excited I am to be here.”