West Ham United’s dressing room must have felt as if it has been under siege for most of the last three years, with a string of managerial misfires and sackings, disruptive and outright ‘want – away’ stars and two relegation battles fought in succession.
On top, of course the ‘BS out’ fan protests further contributed to the controversy surrounding the club, which peaked with relegation being confirmed last May – and then the historic allegations forcing Chairman David Sullivan to quit just weeks after Vice Chair Karren Brady’s resignation.
How long ago West Ham United’s celebratory days of June 2023 seem.
Former Hammers defender Emerson has described the way in which the bombshell that was the Lucas Paquetá inquiry catapulted the whole club into chaos, not long after the idyllic summer of ‘2023 – where it has seemingly remained ever since.
According to sportwitness.co.uk, Paquetá’s fellow countryman Emerson reckoned the whole Hammers dressing room was taken by surprise and plunged into controversy:
“The midfielder openly admitted that the case had taken a severe strain on his mental health. Palmieri now admits that it was not easy for everyone else at West Ham either…
Fellow countrymen Emerson Palmieri and Lucas Paqueta back in happier times before the storms broke in the Irons’ dressing room and beyond
“It was very tough because it caught us all by surprise..
I was taken aback when these kinds of allegations started to surface. And then we saw the scale it reached. He was facing the possibility of a suspension—or even a lifetime ban from football. He was deeply saddened by everything that was being linked to his name.”
Few fans perhaps appreciate the upset on the whole West Ham team and the dressing room created by the two-year long FA inquiry.
Certainly Lucas Paquetá never reached the heights of his first season as a Hammer after living with the spectre of a lifetime ban hanging over his head for years.
The player lost his dream move to Manchester City – and perhaps more importantly West Ham United were forced to try and maintain their Premier League standing whilst the allegations and the FA inquiry rolled over their heads like some impending thunderstorm.
In hindsight, it is little wonder that relegation resulted last May after the litany of crises involving the players, the club and its owners pretty much ever since that idyllic June day in 2023.
David Sullivan denies all of the historic allegations made against him
If found guilty Paqueta would have likely been banned for life, yet the verdict of innocence was pronounced without even the merest hint of an apology. Perhaps West Ham were getting above their station by having European football each season and even having the audacity to win a trophy. Well they certainly pulled us down a peg or two, because effectively we lost Paqueta without the consolation of a large transfer fee from City, he was never the same again.
Very sad for Lucas Paqueta. What could have been without this torture. Yet the FA pat themselves on the back and think that they have done a great job.
They have more on their plates with their mistaken ‘proven’ charges against Manchester City. These charges are a minor distraction to Manchester City but the allegations and prolonged investigations against Paqueta were life changing. Many other people would have been tempted to end it all but Lucas persevered under the intense pressure.
Good on him for getting through. Shame on the Platini wannabes.