AWAY from the training pitch and from all things Scott Parker for a second, with a change of focus to events within the board room and at the helm of West Ham United. In the absence of any definitive statement from the club, recent reports had speculated that the Kretinsky – Sullivan pact might be the direction of travel for the season, ahead of a renewed push towards an Amanda Staveley – led takeover next year.
Whatever the long term prognosis or direction of travel, it is clear that there’s a very different Modus Operandi of this West Ham United and the influence of one David Sullivan appears to be, reassuringly, well and truly on the wane.
Kretinsky – fully involved, according to our source, along with the CEO in the behind the scenes running of the football club
Our club insider – speaking on the guarantee of anonymity to protect their position – described earlier the mechanism in place for Scott Parker’s appointment but evidently there’s more shift of management style than perhaps we’d given credit.
“Acting Chief Exec Karim Virani now fully immersed in the day to day running of the club and now liasing with major shareholder Daniel Kretinsky on relevant matters”.
Virani, whilst still ‘acting’ CEO’ by title, appears now very much immersed in the leadership of the club and was, according to Jacob Steinberg, involved along with Nils Koppen in the decision to part company with Nuno Espírito Santo – not before time.
Apparently just two weeks ago CEO Virani flew out to Prague for a meeting with Kretinsky who is, in turn, now apparently ‘fully engaged’ himself in the leadership of the football club and has attended recent games.
Sullivan appears either sidelined, or disinterested, or both.
Which will come as no great disappointment to anyone invested in the future of West Ham United football club.