David Moyes hinted his preference was to stay at West Ham after a 3-1 win over Everton, which could mark the end for the Toffees’ former Hammers boss Sam Allardyce.
Allardyce is under contract for another 12 months but Moyes only until midnight after the final game of the season, meaning there is no certainty he will still be in charge at the London Stadium next season.
The Scot, appointed in November as successor to Slaven Bilic, steered West Ham to Premier League safety in a campaign capped by two goals from Manuel Lanzini and Marko Arnautovic’s 11th of the league season.
Moyes said: “Everybody always thinks the grass is greener and there’s something better out there. I would say more often than not I bet you it’s proved wrong.
“We’ve shown we’re trying to improve. I don’t know if anybody can come and make that big a difference in six months. Even (Manchester City boss) Pep (Guardiola) took a bit of time to get his team right.
“I’d think you’d need to give a bit longer. But every manager now is in transit. I don’t think there is a long period (to settle in).”
Moyes may be persuaded by the potential of his team, demonstrated on Sunday.
“What will influence me? When you get good performances,” he added.
“It makes you feel ‘hey, there’s something to build on here’.”
Asked if he was now officially out of contract, Moyes said: “Midnight. I’ll take my suit off at midnight, undo my tie a bit…”
Moyes expects to meet the West Ham board, co-chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan and vice-chairman Karren Brady, next week to determine his future.
He spent 11 years as Everton boss and was asked his thoughts on the negative reaction of their fans to Allardyce.
He said: “Am I surprised? Yes, I am a little bit. They’ve always been a club who get behind their players and their manager.”