West Ham manager Slaven Bilic told a press conference he did not want Stewart Downing to leave the Hammers and because he was counting on the winger “big time” for next season.
Downing has rejoined hometown club Middlesbrough on a four-year deal.
“I didn’t want him to go, he’s a quality English player and I know how hard it is to get the quality ones,” said Bilic.
“Of course I rate him, I tried to persuade him to stay with us.”
“I know him from the national team when we played England, and he was brilliant in the first half of last season,” added Bilic.
“I was counting on him big time, but he told me that he wanted to go home.
“He said ‘I like you and everything, but I want to go home. If it was any other club, I would stay here’.
“Maybe I could have stopped him, and all that, however it is not what we wanted to do, but he wanted to leave.”
I think the key part is he wanted to go to his hometown team. Slav tried but the bright chemical glow of Middlesbrough was too tempting so it’s done and we move on. I just hope all this ends the we should have kept him brigade,there was no choice the deal was too good for all parties concerned.
You are spot on Quick.I think it was Rads or Tyson said from the start of all this that it was probably Downing wanted to return home,not that we were wanting to unload him.If the guy felt so strongly he wanted to go back to the North East then i think the club have been great with him to allow him to go.Also as you mentioned,it may now stop the muppets moaning about the club for wanting to sell him 😉
Haha as I discovered very little for the moaning to continue,some must just like it that way lol
No point keeping players here that don’t want to be here,
We got some value for money and he is happy
Just hope we can get a good replacement,should here about the young Argie soon after his medical,
My boy read somewhere that there may be family issues which is why he wanted to go home. Fair enough and we need to move on, with our best wishes! Coyi