West Ham United chief David Sullivan has admitted that appointing David Moyes as the club’s new manager is a risk, and one that will of course divide opinion among fans, but he is adamant it is a decision that will ensure his side remain in the Premier League.

Moyes has had a torrid managerial career since leaving Everton to join Manchester United, having been sacked from there as well as Real Sociedad and more recently leaving Sunderland after guiding them to relegation from the Premier League.

With West Ham’s poor start to the season so far, manager Slaven Bilic eventually got the chop last week, and Moyes was announced as the new boss on Tuesday – with the Hammers sitting in the relegation zone.

The decision was a controversial one, with some fans feeling outraged by the decision. Others however accept the reality of the situation, and Sullivan believes it is a gamble that will pay off.

“This is a gamble but let’s see where we are at the end of the season. I believe he will keep us up,” he told The Sun.

“I have promised him nobody else has been lined up, that we have not signed another manager for next season.

“This is his job and he has to grab it. It is a big chance for him.

“You don’t do what he did at Everton for ten years and become a bad manager — he is a good manager.”

Moyes has been appointed on an initial six-month deal, and has called for fans to get behind him and the team ahead of their crucial upcoming fixtures after the international break.