West Ham United supporters will have a spring in their step this afternoon: Better than any new signing, the very welcome press release from the club – as we’d all been seeking since June – that Jarrod Bowen has committed his future to West Ham for next season’s Championship campaign is a huge boost.
Not only is the feel-good factor back in east London, but the chances of Championship promotion have shot up.
Now hopefully the Captain’s public statement – which, incidentally, shows leadership with a capital ‘L’ – will in turn lead others in the squad to confirm their own commitment to east London.
Bowen revealed his thinking and exactly what led him to make his decision in a short video put out on twitter by West Ham.
It is clear Daniel Kretinsky played a direct part in convincing Bowen to stay.
“”I flew out to Prague in the Czech Republic to meet Daniel and Jiri and the ambition that I got from them, certainly in terms of the direction the Club wants to move in, it interests me a lot. It didn’t take a lot for me, because this Club means a lot to me,’ Bowen said.
‘I did an interview after the [Leeds United] game and said my vision is to get this Club back in the Premier League.
Sometimes you think it falls on deaf ears and people say ‘he’s just saying that’. There have been things written and different things said and you have to look at it and bite your tongue sometimes.
Jarrod Bowen announced that he is staying at West Ham despite relegation
‘But when I say something, I don’t hide away from it. For me, the main thing is to get this club back into the Premier League and speak to people in the club about what we want to do moving forward as a club for the better of the club.
‘It was a no-brainer for me to be here and the vision is clear, it’s the Premier League.”
Clearly, the Kretinsky factor – with the unashamed ambition for West Ham’s future – was pivotal to Bowen’s decision and reassuring to know that the two had face to face discussions over the club’s future.
That way lies accountability for both parties. A world away from the dark BS days.
If Jarrod Bowen helps the Hammers get back to the Premier League at the first attempt then I’ll be leading the call for a crowd-funded statue to West Ham’s latest true legend. COYI
Ketinsky has down his part in convincing Bowen to stay.
Could have been a different ending had Sullivan and Brady still been in charge.
It would be nice if he could convince other major team players to follow his loyalty.
Additionally Disarsi whose not going to be at Chelsea.
Would there have been any discussion on incoming players?
It is great to hear Bowen is staying.Nice to have some loyalty from a great player willing to help get us back up into the premier league.
I know his contract was different to the rest of the team, but there is nothing to say that the players we want to keep,is to offer them a contract as a incentive to stay, like if promoted will have the wages lost due to being relegated paid back.But let go the ones we don’t want
The money for me is irrelevant he is a top quality player and we are lucky he is staying with us because it would of been very easy for him to go elsewhere so let us hope this is a Catalyst for other players staying
I hope he plays better than he did last season ??
In the modern era, I’m not sure there’s ever been a player at his level committing to a relegated club before.
He won’t get us back up on his own, but it’s got to be a factor for any other players who were undecided about staying.
So, beneath the headline rhetoric, Bowen’s agreed to stay after we increased the money payable under his existing contract duration.
I’m not being negative here, because that’s a huge boost – but it’s not quite the ‘fan-in-me’ altruism you seem to be portraying.
He’s simply been given a pay rise to see out his contract without asking to leave.
One could equally call it a ‘loyalty bonus’ for staying put. We’ll probably never know. He could certainly have got more money and Champions League football by leaving.