Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has written in the Mail on Sunday today about West Ham’s current plight.
The 42-year-old said “I have never agreed with the theory that being relegated can be a blessing in disguise. Dropping out of the Premier League isn’t good for anyone and in West Ham’s case, it would be particularly disastrous.
They need to stay up more than any other club in danger of the drop, which only adds to the pressure on David Moyes when they go to Manchester City on Sunday.
Can you imagine the vast London Stadium half-empty in the Championship next season with Hammers fans watching a team bereft of Felipe Anderson, Declan Rice or Issa Diop? There would be no reason for the best West Ham players to stick around when top division clubs want them.”
Claret and Hugh say:
It is difficult to understand any West Ham supporter that would wish relegation on their own club. Promotion is never guaranteed and each season it gets harder and harder to bounce back from the second tier of football. Derby have been out of the Premier League for 12 years, Leeds for 16 years and Sheffield Wednesday for two decades.
Sunderland were relegated to the third tier of English football and sit in sixth place in Football League one with no guarantee of returning to the Championship.
Promotion back to the Premier League would heavily rely on investment from the current board which many want to see the back of. With no guarantee of new buyers of the club in the Championship the owners could well cut off their nose to spite their face and decide not to invest their own money if the worst happened. Be careful what you wish for!
Other than the tiniest minority whose hatred of GSB appears greater than their love for the club, I haven’t heard anyone in the stadium or on forums wishing us relegated, guess he is just stoking the fire ?
Relegation is neither inevitable or desirable, but also not the end of the club.
The fan base that existed at Upton Park seems to be in the minority at times at the LS, particularly when the “Big Four” come to visit. If WHU is going to survive, the true fan base needs to grow and that can only happen through collaboration with the owners. The ownership may be unpalatable, but they want success too, even if their motivation is different.
Produce a team and fan base that are attractive to buyers and we all win. Relegation isn’t the risk, insolvency is.