Michail Antonio has spoken candidly about what made David Moyes such an effective manager at West Ham United, arguing that the Scot's ability to read the club's culture was the foundation of everything he achieved there.

Moyes oversaw the most successful era in West Ham's modern history during his second stint in charge, which began in December 2019 with the club sitting in 17th place. Over five years, he steered the Hammers into three consecutive European campaigns — a run that culminated in the UEFA Europa Conference League title in 2023.

Antonio's verdict on Moyes

Antonio, who scored 55 goals in 182 appearances under Moyes, believes the manager grasped the identity of the club from the outset. "He just knew the culture of the club and how to get the boys going," Antonio told FourFourTwo. "We didn't play the best football, but we got results."

The Jamaican international acknowledges that Moyes' pragmatic approach tested the patience of the fanbase. "Obviously the fans were frustrated by the style of play," he admits. "But we were winning and managed to achieve things with it."

Surprise at Moyes' first exit

Moyes' first spell at the club had begun under very different circumstances — he was brought in during November 2017 to rescue a side in danger of relegation, and he succeeded, keeping West Ham up. Yet he was not offered a permanent contract at the end of that season, a decision Antonio still finds difficult to understand.

"That's why I was surprised he didn't get the job permanently after his first spell, because he kept us up," Antonio said. "Then the second time, the fans did get annoyed with the style of play and wanted us to play better."

The difficult final season

When West Ham chose to move on from Moyes in 2024, some pundits questioned the decision — and Antonio reveals that plenty inside the dressing room shared those concerns. "Yeah, because of what he was achieving," the striker said. "We kept getting into Europe and doing well."

However, Antonio concedes that the final campaign shifted the mood. "But in the last year, we were getting close to relegation, so you thought, 'Even though we're doing well in Europe, we might need to find a new philosophy.'"

Michail Antonio's autobiography 'Humans Not Robots', published by HarperCollins, is available now.