Leroy’s back and reckons the Irons are well and truly on their way

It’s a genuine joy to welcome back our most popular blogger since C and H started life seven years ago this evening – the one and only Leroy Rosenior! Lee has become an ambassador for the West Ham Foundation since he was last with us and is also greatly involved with the Premier League on match days. He will be joining us for the new season but in this exclusive blog he looks back on last season and as an active anti racist campaigner gives his views on taking the knee.

West Ham has become an entirely different club over the last few months as a result of an empty stadium due to the pandemic and the arrival of David Moyes as manager. There is no question in my mind that he is now entirely in charge of recruitment, team affairs and has done a magnificent job.

However, it has to be said that the pandemic has allowed the club to take far less emotional decisions which is not always possible when the fans are justifiably piling on pressure of praise. Next season will be different but I think we are now all supporting a football club which is at last well and truly on its way.

There was an awful lot of pressure after the club left the Boleyn for the London Stadium and hey, listen, nobody loved Upton Park more than me but I think we can all agree now that it was the right move to make.

As for next season and who we are going to bring in I think James Tarkowski will be a major target. Craig Dawson was magnificent but with the Burnley boy coming to the club we will have three great central defenders with those two and Oggy. I’m not sure about Diop so it will be interesting to see what happens on that front.

As for a striker, I think Tammy Abraham – at the £30m to £40m Chelsea will want – is not the right guy – he doesn’t hold the ball up, or link the play like Mikey, and isn’t as great as running channels like  Jarrod Bowen – who at £20 million was a sensational buy. If we could get Tammy on loan fair enough but I would’t pay big money for him.

I’ve seen Adam Armstrong develop at Blackburn – he’s quick and agile and could easily be the one for David Moyes who of course makes a habit of dipping into the lower leagues.

No more needs to be said about Tomas and Vladi – out and out West ham players who sweat blood and tears whilst so called luxury players like Haller and Anderson provided no luxury at all. Selling the French boy for £20 million was great business despite us taking a loss on him – he was never going to hack it at West Ham. Anderson looks unlikely too either.

Getting rid of those players is just as important as who you sign and in David Moyes we have a manager who is adept at doing so.

I believe there’s a great season ahead and see the club going from strength to strength.

Taking the knee

There’s been plenty of discussion about the effectiveness of otherwise of the players’ decision to do this and as somebody who has been very involved in anti racism activism I can assure you it has been extremely effective for the issue at large.

Ivan Toney at Brentford and the squad – along with Wilfried Zaha have spoken out against it and the Bees will presumably not be taking the knee in the PL next season.

My question to them both is: “What would you sooner do.” I’d love to have a conversation with both of them and get their ideas.