Julien Faubert wants Millwall in the Premier League and suggests replacement for West Ham manager David Moyes
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In the second part of an exclusive interview with Ladbrokes: Fanzone, former West Ham midfielder Julien Faubert discussed his first game for the Hammers, what David Moyes should do in the Europa Conference League and memories of playing against Millwall.
However, the former France and Martinique international got things started by talking about potential replacements for Moyes.
Click on the link for part one in which he chatted about his loan move to Real Madrid and gave a spot-on prediction for their Champions League win against Chelsea!
Moyes fortunate to still have a job – here’s my replacement
David Moyes is lucky to still be in charge of West Ham, if I’m honest, especially when you look at how many managers have been sacked in the Premier League this season, and the performances we’ve seen from his team over the last few months. I was surprised when I saw in the news that he still has the backing of the board. I’ve said it before, but I hope they don’t make the same mistake as they did when they appointed Avram Grant.
As far as the next replacement goes, I’d like to see someone come in who is already associated with the club in some way. There are some great names out there, the likes of Graham Potter and Brendan Rodgers would obviously be linked if Moyes were to leave any time soon. In an ideal world, they’d bring in someone who supports the club, someone who has spent a lot of time around the place, because there’s something special about West Ham, and you’ll only know it if you’ve been a part of it before. I want someone to come in who loves the club.
Of the names that are out there now, though, I’d like Brendan Rodgers. I like what he brings to a team and I could see him being a good fit. I don’t see them going for a foreign manager – unless it was me! I think they need to stick with a British guy, someone who understands the identity of the club.
As for where they can strengthen this summer, for me it’s simple; it’s definitely in defence. Strikers win games, defenders win titles. That’s the line you hear a lot in football. We need new names, big players in defence. We’ve spent a lot of money on individuals in recent years. We need to get that togetherness and unity back together, and that starts with the defence, for me.
Moyes should play the kids in Europa Conference League
It’s great that West Ham are playing in Europe, for sure, but I think it’s a distraction for them right now, when you look at where the team are in the Premier League. What good is it to go all the way in the Europa Conference League if you’re suffering in the Premier League as a result? Think about the extra number of games these guys are having to play, the travel that comes with the away fixtures… these things could make a difference when it comes to the end of the season.
Pablo can’t wait to see the Claret & Blue Army in Belgium tomorrow night! 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/jVDGOuVdjM
— West Ham United (@WestHam) April 12, 2023
The main focus has to be on the league, for me. It’s the kind of situation where the manager should be looking to rest his senior players, and give opportunities to the younger guys. Let them experience European football. Many managers have done it in the past, David Moyes should do the same now.
Do I want Millwall to win promotion? Of course!
That win against Fulham was so important for West Ham last weekend, especially at this point in the season. There’s still a long way to go, of course, and we’re far from clear of danger, but the squad can breathe a little easier this week. Now it’s about hard work, positivity and concentration, because we can’t afford to go back into the Championship.
What’s better about that win is that it came against a London rival, away from home – that should give the guys plenty of confidence heading into their next few games, as those derbies are always the toughest.
The manager reflects on a big win yesterday 👇 pic.twitter.com/iD7z7VpOjG
— West Ham United (@WestHam) April 9, 2023
Of course, the best example of this, in my own career, was Millwall. I’ve played against them at home, away and in the Cup… that’s a special fixture. Everybody knows how big a rivalry that is, and we dealt with pitch invasions and all sorts when we played against them in the Cup. It was such an electric atmosphere,and there were nerves in there, for sure, I won’t lie. We wanted to get a result for our fans, because that’s the one the supporters look out for, and they don’t come around that often.
I always felt so connected to the West Ham fans, and still do to this day. When I signed for the club in 2007, it wasn’t a case of the English guys having to teach me about the history of the Millwall rivalry, I’d already done my own research on the club. I wanted to know as much as I possibly could about the team, so I knew how crazy a derby that Millwall one was. To be honest, while I was disappointed that we got relegated from the Premier League in 2011, I was happy at the same time, because I knew it meant we’d play Millwall!
Do I want to see Millwall in the Premier League next season? Of course I do! And if they do manage to win promotion, I’ll make sure I’m there for the games against West Ham. These rivalries, those atmospheres are the reason I wanted to get into football. When you step out on the pitch and you hear your fans, especially in the derbies, there’s no better feeling; it’s an addiction.
Settling into the Premier League
My first game for West Ham came against Chelsea, so I had Ashley Cole playing on my side. They had Claude Makelele, Didier Drogba, John Terry, all of those guys… they were absolute animals on the pitch. It was a completely different game I had to adapt to. It’s funny, when I came from France I thought I was quick, I thought I was a powerful player, but when I arrived in England – my God – I just thought “oh, wow!” That was day one, in training. It was a real wake-up call for me… I realised I wasn’t as strong and quick as maybe I thought, so I had to go and spend time in the gym, working on my strength.
But – on the whole – the English game suited me perfectly. I’m a fast player, I liked to get on the ball, get involved, I liked covering ground, I liked the physicality. I left Bordeaux and the next season they went on to win the French championship, but I have absolutely no regrets about leaving for England.
