West Ham fans, players, management and directors will be hoping for a last day miracle to keep the club’s Premier League status intact. On what will be a hugely stressful day, those at the ground and watching at home will have one eye on the result at London Stadium – the Hammers must beat Leeds- whilst simultaneously cheering on Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Behind the scenes, there’s a summer disaster looming, over which the club seems powerless to act.
If relegation strikes, conservative estimates from recent reports would suggest player exits will be in double figures. A whole first team to sell. Negotiations to conclude. Contracts to sign off.
Nuno will join Potter, Lopetegui and Moyes as Hammers ‘exes’ if reports are true: He’ll likely be off next week.
Replacements to source, sign and integrate. A new manager, most likely, if reports that Nuno will walk on Monday once relegation is confirmed.
Karren Brady – the power behind the throne – if you like, for so long David Sullivan’s side kick and hatchet-woman at West Ham Towers, is no more. There is no director of football.
So negotiating, selling, sourcing, buying, signing, a dozen players and a manager (on a shoestring budget) ahead of a brutal landing in the most competitive, unforgiving tier of English football has to be managed by a 78 year old who has already proved he couldn’t run the club in the top league in the world.
Where is the new Director of Football? In place for the summer? Ready to start the process of finding a coach, a whole team of first team coaches and fitness conditioning staff to replace the ‘outgoings’ when Nuno quits?
Relegation isn’t the end result: It is just the start of the challenges which this historic club will face and for which, on present evidence, it is singularly unprepared for. Chaos beckons.
No wonder the board are praying for a miracle on Sunday.
The need to resolve the senior management positions, in particular CEO & DoF is paramount. I fear we get less able individuals because we are likely to be in the Champonship but my biggest fear is that buffoon Sullivan is involved in the recruitment process.
Then the need to appoint a manager on presumption Nuo has gone. Given Sullivan’s (and Brady’s) poor record in this, it doesn’t bode well.
Then the need to overhaul the squad in what could be the largest turnover of players we’ve seen is frightening. Especially given the fact we’ve yet to do this successfully (and certainly not quickly).
Then add in the impact of the World Cup which is likely to slow up the sale and thus the purchase of players.
This all points to a strong possibility of a slow and difficult start to the season. Not insurmountable (see Ipswich’s turnaround earlier this season, albeit without all the turmoil being witnessed at West Ham), equally see what has happened to Leicester.
Irrespective of anyone’s views on the new stadium, the simple fact is that Sullivan and Brady have proved incompetent at being able to take advantage of our increased revenue streams and have put us in a even worse position than when they took us over. Useless pair.
Its disgusting that the whole thing collapses like this…. NO CLUE. Fans could do a better job I’ve supported the club since the mid 60’s.. I think I’m finally done with the shambles that doesn’t make me feel good anymore…….David Sullivan needs to Leave, Karen Brady who did a tremendous amout of DAMAGE (Potter) already gone (Hooray). I wish the best for the clu b as always but its needs a Professional management team, one that will be long term.
We should expect that a Director of Football will be appointed. However, will Sullivan do the picking ? Will Sullivan still exercise his authority to overrule the DofF’ egarding a new team manager and player transfers ? Will Sullivan still bring in players on his own initiative based on agents’ recommendations ? Will a workable relationship be possible between the DofF and the team manager ? Will the club be able to sign the best available manager even if he’s still in contract ? Will the club still dither and last minute haggle over player purchases & contracts and often lose out ?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then we’ll struggle whatever league we’re in, though more so in the PL. So the only solution is to remove Sullivan from all sole executive authority.
Yet another indicator of how badly the club is run, zero planning. Even if we get a miracle and stay up is there any plan?
Nothing it seems beyond a disaster like last Summer of having to sell to buy and still having a lightweight squad that will struggle to compete. As a minimum we would need to keep the best players and add to them but that seems impossible.
Just look at Brentford, Brighton and Bournemouth to show what a professionally run club with serious people planning and managing player and Manager appointments can do. On smaller cash flow.
Entertaining football used to be West Ham’s mantra, and one which made US everyone’s second team.
We’ve never dropped down to the 3rd teir, but these morons running the club look a possibilty….Leicester went!! It needs addressing QUICKLY Paul otherwise like you said too late.. When we dropped in the 80’s we kept a large part of the team. Potter ripped the heart out. When a coach goes he shouldn’t EMPTY the place, and the club sell the first team. Grrrrrrr. We do need to sell the wood lying around. Why don’t they unload KILMAN 1st !!
I am still hoping talks are already underway behind the scenes with Kretinsky/DS on a DOF and new manager in case NES does depart – if he does, I’m not fussed as too many repeated mistakes and I’d like to see some good football at WHU for once.
There is so much speculation it is hard to know what is relevant. I’m not a big fan of NES because of his repeated mistakes with the basics of defense, lack of ingenuity in attack but if he stayed there would be continuity. It would mean decisions on who leaves or stays would be quicker than if waiting for a new manager, a couple of players more likely to stay knowing their manager already and he would have certain demands, such as Fernandes has to stay, I imagine. There would still be Mendes to recommend budget options from abroad as well.
The fact NES has no contract means nothing (to me). It simply means everything is to be negotiated on a new basis if club relegated, which is common sense. Maybe I am missing the point.
Comments on another article here, talked of wantaway players and that really hit home with me. There are only perhaps 3 to 5 players who do play for the team and are good enough as well – very few. Should only keep these players (who are under contract) in my opinion, then bring in academy players & Max Hahn specials, because on salaries alone there will be huge savings and you’ll have the basis of a real team with belief, to build around. Whatever happens Sunday, now is the time to start clearing house one way or the other.
When I think of how many points the coaches and players threw away around January with inverted fullbacks & 5 at the back and then again recently,… oy vey, give me strength.
Roll on Sunday. WHU can forget about stress – it over-hyped anyhow😁
Martin these are the reasons I am saying we will next be in division 1. Only chance the club has is if Sulivan goes and the work can begin