IN a huge leap of faith since Daniel Kretinsky’s statement offered the prospect of a vastly different future where West Ham didn’t have to sell their whole first team and the club looked to be on the verge of a new era, enormous numbers of supporters have taken the plunge and signed up for next season.
Even though there’s been virtual ‘radio silence’ since that first promising statement from the boardroom.
The limited information that has come out of the club has been frustrating – Assistant coach Paco Jemez stalling on a new deal and the failure to land Sporting Director Steve Nickson looking at best like early “disappointment’s” but at worst, significant snubs for the Kretinsky project.
Jarrod Bowen – along with every Hammers fan – was hugely deflated at the end of last season
Either way nearly 40,000 season ticket holders have crossed their fingers and renewed, more in hope than expectation, without having certainty as to who will be turning out for the club for the first fixture in August.
It is tough to be patient – shareholder manoeuvres involving hundreds of millions of pounds can go on behind the scenes for months, if not years – but the football calendar doesn’t wait.
West Ham’s huge, loyal fan base has one eye on the boardroom and another on the newly announced fixture list, whilst all seeming to asking the same question: Who’s staying put to play for the club for next season?
Claret and Hugh’s source close to the club gave us the heads-up on the biggest issue surrounding the club right now: What is happening with West Ham’s talismanic skipper?
“Jarrod Bowen is leaning towards staying at West Ham: Before [Presumably ‘before’ meaning ‘before the ‘Sullivan’ departure-MT] .. it was 50/50, but the chances of him staying are increasing”
Which, if true, would be a massive shot in the arm for the club and for supporters.
Until some formal announcement is made nobody will be counting their chickens, but Bowen remaining to spearhead the Championship promotion push would be seen as a huge vote of confidence in Kretinsky’s project and, alongside the retention of other ‘key players’ promised by the board, would hugely impact morale around a club currently in limbo.
There is a sense around the club that the end of June deadline for PSR documentation filing will see the emergence of more flesh on the bones of Kretinsnky’s West Ham vision: The possibility that captain Jarrod Bowen may remain next season is likely to be every bit as well received.
It’s so annoying to keep reading about Bowen staying or leaving. Bowen is staying end of, so please stop publishing anything to the contrary
Kretinsky isn’t called the Sphinx for nothing. Okay he made a public statement but he’s not going to become chatty man. He might release a statement once his mission is complete but probably not much else.
Personally, I think he’s big enough to do it – to stay.
And it’ll have such a positive effect on other vital players.
Until the 30th of June has passes little other than speculate their is not a lot anyone can do…as for the fact no rumours are leaking out it makes a refreshing change and doing business behind the scenes will be more fruitful than letting all and sundry no what we are up to