David Moyes must win over West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady after sexism row

Vice-chairman Karren Brady chastised the Scot after what he thought was an off-mic comment in April about slapping a female reporter.

“If it’s wrong to be a bit racist, it’s also wrong to be a bit sexist,” she wrote in her national newspaper column. “But while he should keep his job, I really hope that from now on he starts to think before he speaks.”

That difference was put aside though as talks were being finalised on bringing Moyes to the club until the end of the season – with a massive seven-figure survival bonus and a potential longer-term contract in the offing if the 54-year-old is successful – as a replacement for Slaven Bilic who was sacked yesterday.

Brady and West Ham co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan are acutely aware the imminent appointment is not a popular one with the fans but cannot afford the former Olympic Stadium to become a huge white elephant in the EFL.

Bilic was told in person at the club’s training ground in Rush Green yesterday morning that his services were no longer required after a 4-1 thrashing by Liverpool on Saturday saw them end the weekend in the relegation zone.

“We didn’t start this crucial season well,” said Croatian Bilic yesterday. “As in many clubs across Europe, the manager is the one who pays the price. It’s a very logical move.”

West Ham say Bilic’s coaching assistants Nikola Jurcevic, Edin Terzic, Julian Dicks and Miljenko Rak have also left the club with immediate effect, although goalkeeper coach Chris Woods remains in place ahead of the arrival of Moyes. The pair worked together in the same capacity at Everton.

A brief statement from the board confirmed: “The chairmen and board of West Ham United would like to place on record their thanks and gratitude to Slaven and his team for their services over the past two and a half years, but believe a change is now necessary in order for the club to move forward positively and in line with their ambition.

“The club’s search for a new manager to take West Ham United forward is under way and an announcement regarding Bilic’s successor is expected to be made over the coming days.”

Moyes has been in Qatar working as a television pundit but flew back to London yesterday to commence talks.

He has been out of work since he resigned as Sunderland manager on May 22 after failing to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League. Moyes is putting together a backroom coaching staff which may include former England and West Ham defender Stuart Pearce.