Whilst every West Ham fan – and certainly the coaching staff – will be keen to stress there are still nine points up for grabs and that Tottenham lead the irons by just a solitary point, few can avoid thinking privately about the implications of a failed relegation bid and a season in the Championship.
Indeed the doom-mongers would suggest with West Ham’s financial issues and woeful leadership, ‘doing a Leicester’ and plummeting into the lower reaches of English football could be on the cards, triggered by a mass player exodus unseen since 2002/3 and multi million losses compounded by a fall from the Premier League gravy train.
The days of top players staying with a relegated side to battle back to promotion are long gone.
Or maybe not, according to former West Ham defender Glen Johnson, reported by goal.com. The article concerned has made some fairly radical suggestions that would certainly pull at every West Ham fan’s heartstrings should they become reality, believing the far from deserting a sinking ship, club hero Jarrod Bowen could surely cement ‘legend’ status by staying put in East London:
“Jarrod Bowen is being tipped to make a huge transfer decision that will keep wife Dani and father-in-law Danny Dyer happy, with Glen Johnson telling GOAL why the England international is likely to remain at West Ham. Opportunities to leave have presented themselves to the goal-scoring winger, but personal and professional ties to the Hammers remain strong.”
Bowen might choose to stay – but the West Ham board will probably decide to cash in again, in their desperate bid to plug the financial holes in their sinking ship.
..Is Bowen destined to remain in his current surroundings until his services are no longer required? When that question was put to [Glen] Johnson, the West Ham academy graduate – [said] “I think so, yeah. He’s had links to other clubs, potentially bigger clubs and stuff like that, and this has never happened. For whatever reason, he didn’t want it or the club didn’t want it enough. So I think he’s got a chance to stay there, become a club legend.
“They’re a big West Ham family, which is obviously lovely. So for the sake of leaving for potentially the worst two or three years of your career somewhere else and lose that, to me, I’d rather stay.”
However noble that decision might sound, you’d suspect the harsh realities of David Sullivan’s mismanagement may yet trump Bowen’s loyalty. Faced with his club captain choosing to slug it out in the Championship or the prospect of a nice £40 million cheque from Liverpool, we all know Sullivan will grab the cash as a drowning man clutches a lifebelt.
Whatever Bowen might choose, I suspect he’ll simply become another asset to be traded-in during this West Ham board’s bleak, soulless tenure in the same way they traded in Upton Park for a soulless bowl and a wheelbarrow of cash.
Martin
You write as if Sully will decide who goes and who stays. That will not be the case in the modern era when players have all the power.
I suspect Bowen may well decide to stay, he is 30 and he won’t be in demand from the top clubs. I also very much Soucek stays as he could be a real leader in the championship. I also think AWB, KWP, Areola, Potts, Scarles, Taty , Kilman , Kante will all likely stay
The ones to go will be the younger ones Fernandes and Summerville. Also Mavrapanos , Diouf , Todibo , Areola
Well Brady finally went her way,god bless her, will Sullivan take the hint that he is also not wanted. That would be the start of a revival as we are going nowhere with his mismanagement and greed. Here’s to hoping.
If Bowen wants to stay(please) and he is still under contract then Sullivan can do one!
Is this the same Glen Johnston that couldn’t wait to get out the door the minute we were relegated.
indeed, one of the first, 6m sale to Chelsea in July if I remember right.
Hi Martin, I think you’re absolutely right about the board cashing in on Bowen and any other asset of worth, will we see the squad decimated and be left with Kilman, JWP, the youngsters and bring some useless aging freebies that sullis mates will be offering to our esteemed chairman. I think the noises coming from the club are preparing us for the chaos they’re going to inflict upon us due the the terrible mistakes they’ve made, and we all know there’s a chance that instead of stepping aside sulli will double down and want even more control of transfers and club matters. Cheers
I fear you maybe right. I remember watching the 2003 start in the championship with half a side of has-beens and loanees: it was a depressing few months with so many good players leaving. The worst part is that I don’t see any way Sullivan changes next season. More of the same failings. Sigh.