Poor old Flynn Downes never really stood a chance at West Ham; he was the right player, at the right club, at the wrong time.
I remember the joyful exuberance displayed by Hammer’s fan Downes when he first joined his boyhood club and set about conducting the usual post-transfer interviews.
It was a great story: the Essex-born lad who had always supported the club had gone away, learned his trade, and arrived at West Ham with the reputation of being the best passer in the Championship.
Initial impressions of the midfielder were good too. Back-to-back man of the match performances in Europe paved the way for a comfortable Conference League group stage campaign. Unfortunately for Downes, his good European form never translated into a serious run at first team action in his favourite position.
Sure, he featured against both Liverpool and Manchester United on the right wing and in attacking midfield, but he never played back-to-back games in his established central role, and therefore, we were never really able to find out quite how good Downes could have been.
Downes Hammers stint was a mixed bag of pride and frustration
Opportunity missed
This was despite some pretty poor form from Tomas Soucek at the time, whose attacking instincts had to be sacrificed to accommodate Declan Rice’s expanding midfield role. I’m quite sure that Downes’ inability to force himself into David Moyes’ first team plans would have cemented his decision to move to Southampton on loan last season.
Flynn will probably view his time at West Ham with mixed emotions. There will be pride that he was able to represent the club he supported as a boy and, of course, get a winner’s medal for his part in the club’s Europa Conference League victory.
Naturally, there will be frustrations that he was unable to become a regular for West Ham, but he’d have met with new Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui and read the room regarding his place in the Spaniards project. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that Downes wasn’t given any first-team assurances about his future and decided to return to the south coast.
I’m quite sure the midfielder will thrive under the guidance of a manager in Russell Martin, who has complete confidence in Downes’ ability.
Good luck, Flynn!
Shame
All the best Flynn. Treated like a camel by Moyes who.had no idea of what this club meant to him. Never given a run,
Called out, Was Phillips any better? Do me a favour. At the end of the day Flynn you’ve got to.do what’s best for you and your family, as is always the way.
You’ll always be welcome back at West Ham. But you know that. Just don’t have a blinder and score😀
Saw him play for Southampton
Hr controlled midfield ,was motm.
And had one run at goal looked like Dec
Spot on and he will thrive at Southampton where he’s really wanted. Martin is a great guy and really interesting.
Moyes calling him out in public saying he needed to show more in training made me sick and another nail in the coffin for Moyes for me.
He must’ve come here after being coached really well by Martin at Swansea and been apalled at seeing the rag tag of yes-men and negative Nevin flopping around the pitch. I’d have lost the will to live under that lot, so no wonder he didn’t know what the f*ck was going on in training.
He’d have sunk under Jlo cos he’s not a flashy foreigner so this is the very best for his career. And he’s done what many West Ham legends never did – wear a European winners medal round his neck.
I’m disappointed at the fee but hopefully we have a sell-on clause.
I wish him all the very best, just not against us! Hr’ll always be one of us – except in those matches!
Downes was never going to be contesting a place for West Ham’s starting XI. It was once suggested that he might be a replacement for Declan Rice. The only thing they had in common was that they were born in the same week.
I wish him well at Southampton, but he already knows from his seven Premier League starts with us, that this division isn’t the comparative breeze that the Championship is.