For one former Hammers manager, looking at the state of the club he represented as a player before becoming the head coach, it is very much a case of ‘things aint what they used to be’ in east London.
Tell us about it, Harry.
Interviewed in fourfourtwo.com, the enigma that is Harry Redknapp doesn’t hold back with his forthright opinions about the soul having departed the West Ham United he once knew and loved.
Languishing in the second division, the club Redknapp managed from 1994 – 2001 has, according to the enigmatic former Irons’ winger and midfielder, now completely lost its identity. Don’t we as fans just know it?
“What has happened? Apart from Jarrod Bowen (signed from Hull), I don’t see an awful lot of players there that I’d look at and think, ‘yes, they’re West Ham players’ said Redknapp.
Forthright, blunt – but perhaps unduly pessimistic? Harry Redknapp’s words are nothing if not thought provoking
“And the atmosphere at Upton Park was second to none. When that crowd sang ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’, the atmosphere was intimidating, incredible.
That’s gone. It’s not the club that I knew. The fans deserve better than what they’re getting now. They’ve sold 50,000 season tickets this year – in the Championship. It’s a massive club.”
Perhaps unfairly lumping Tomas Soucek together with ‘the rest’ into the claret and blue dressing room of mediocrity, Redknapp does fail to acknowledge the club’s very recent success in the Europa Conference League. Something approaching 100,000 partying in the east end after the Prague win, just three years ago, was a throwback to the glory days of old and the first trophy in 43 years. In just three short years the squad has been ripped up, three managers have come and gone and the club is now exiled from the top tier of English football.
Just remember, things can change for the better -just as fast.
Unlike ‘Arry, might I suggest there is still a case for supporters trying looking forward rather than back.
This 2026/7 season could be just what was needed to clear out the old, overpaid, underperforming players and a Chairman and Vice Chair who were universally loathed.
Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better – and they’ve certainly done that. The key question is – have we seen the low point yet? Answers on a post card. For what it’s worth, I firmly believe so. And that takes some writing after watching yesterdays shambles.