Some West Ham United fans are blaming the Jeremy Ngakia situation on unpopular owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
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Ngakia looks set to leave West Ham at the end of the month after refusing to sign a new deal worth around £5,000 per week.
More shockingly the young defender nurtured by West Ham’s academy and given his big chance on the Premier League stage by David Moyes, has refused to even extend his stay until the end of a season interrupted by the global health crisis.
The 19-year-old right-back was thrown in at the deep end of West Ham’s Premier League relegation battle before the enforced break.
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Moyes showed great trust in the youngster, selecting him ahead of veteran Pablo Zabaleta.
Photo by Richard Martin-Roberts CameraSport via Getty Images
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And Ngakia rewarded the Scot with some excellent performances as West Ham slowly improved.
But the Hammers are very much still in the relegation mix. And they have nine games to secure their Premier League status.
As things stand Ngakia will leave the club on June 30th, with seven of those games remaining.
Moyes hit out at the youngster’s decision in an exclusive interview with The Evening Standard yesterday.
Plenty of West Ham fans agree with Moyes and have criticised Ngakia on social media and fan forums.
But some supporters have turned their anger towards owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
Photo by Arfa Griffiths West Ham United FC via Getty Images
Some West Ham fans turn on ‘cheap’ owners over situation
Ngakia is said to want just under £10,000 per week to sign a new deal.
Now influential West Ham fan Dave Walker, who runs the West Ham Way podcast with reliable insider ExWHUemployee, has hit out at the club suggesting their contract offer to Ngakia is simply too cheap.
“I’m so disappointed by the Jeremy Ngakia situation,” Walker said on Twitter.
“I’m seeing a lot of tweets having a pop at him over this but actually, when you look at what he’s asking for as a Premier League player it’s a pittance. If he walks away, it’s on the club as far as I`m concerned.
“Quite a lot of people seem to be basing their argument on Jeremy demanding 20 grand per week. From what I understand he is looking for less than 10.”
I`m so disappointed by the Jeremy Ngakia situation. I`m seeing a lot of tweets having a pop at him over this but actually, when you look at what he`s asking for as a Premier League player it`s a pittance. If he walks away, it`s on the club as far as I`m concerned.
— Dave Walker (@DaveWalkerWHU) June 9, 2020
Quite a lot of people seem to be basing their argument on Jeremy demanding 20 grand pw. From what I understand he is looking for less than 10….
— Dave Walker (@DaveWalkerWHU) June 9, 2020
Photo by Arfa Griffiths West Ham United FC via Getty Images
Ngakia dividing opinion but Hammers supporters hit out at Sullivan and Gold
Moyes revealed he still holds a slim hope of persuading Ngakia to stay (The Evening Standard).
The situation has certainly divided opinion among supporters. But plenty agreed with Walker over his assessment.
Here are a selection of responses from West Ham fans to Walker blaming the club.
we have literally nothing to lose by giving him a decent contract!
Even if he flops & say in 2 years time we sell, he’s still going to command a enough £ to cover the wages…
If we really haven’t offered around 10-15k P/W then whoever is in charge of negotiations needs sacking!— Steven McCarthy (@StevenMcCarthy9) June 9, 2020
What is a new RB going to cost?
10m fee, agent fees & signing on fee likely in excess of 3m then wage likely 40k min so over a season a new RB would cost us roughly 15m
20k to Ngakia at most with other fees over a season about 1m
Math no my strong point but new RB value 🤔
— Mike (@mhare641) June 9, 2020
I hope they sort it before he goes. He was my choice for RB 1st game back. Don’t extend Sanchez & that’s him sorted. He won’t get £20k in most Ligue 1 clubs or Bundesliga & if LL club make that won’t start. He wants to stay meet him halfway. I mean Sead Hak make £18k….
— JRS🌐 (@Futball4All) June 9, 2020
Why shouldn’t he walk away when he beats Ryan fredericks into the team on £50k
— Adam #GSBout (@adambrown93) June 9, 2020
Well said Dave. I think it is really easy to have a pop at the kid for asking for so much after 3 starts, but is it a big amount considering the likes of Sanchez is paid about 70k & if Ngakia was told to expect to be a big part of the team 5k is insulting for an EPL player
— Mike (@mhare641) June 9, 2020
This coming from the same people who say we should never have offered Reece Oxford the big pay rise. Ngakia is the byproduct of that Oxford deal. The club either learns from that deal or continues down the same path. I’m happy with them taking a stand to be honest
— Jimmy Fazz (@west_ham_fazz) June 9, 2020
So you think it`s a healthy strategy to use Reece Oxford as the benchmark for all negotiations with promising Academy players moving forward? Big mistake….
— Dave Walker (@DaveWalkerWHU) June 9, 2020
Completely agree what sort of message does that send out to other academy players Aswell what’s the point breaking through as you won’t be rewarded ⚒
— will earle (@willearle_) June 9, 2020
Reeks of a agent problem rather than the kid himself
— Jack (@Jack_hobson12) June 9, 2020
‘This is what happens when you low ball players’
Well said Dave !The tight arses at it again .
— Farehamhammer (@FarehamHammer) June 9, 2020
Exactly Dave,they should give him the 20k for ffs,they did we Reece Oxford what’s the problem???🤬🤬🤬🤬⚒
— Martin browne⚒ (@Martinb16005633) June 9, 2020
Heard it discussed on the pods pal. This is what happens when you low ball players who are just looking to earn what they deserve. Hopefully, for you guys, there’s a resolution and a chance for the decision makers to learn.
— Matt (@footballtyper) June 9, 2020
Disappointing? Yes. Surprising? Not at all. I’m sure you could see this coming as soon as he started getting first team minutes. My hope is that everything that’s come out is simply posturing and it gets resolved. The kid should be a quality player.
— Dave LaPointe (@dave_lapointe) June 9, 2020
It’s all on his agent, the player doesn’t want to leave, Moyes has even said it isn’t the players choice to leave, the clowns at the top need to sit down with the player and Moyes and try show him the right direction
— 父 Scott Barnard™ 父 (@barnard_15) June 9, 2020
He’s played 3-4 games that’s it. The club have done nothing wrong Suddenly he’s dictating what he wants. This time last year nobody had heard of home. Get rid. Let’s focus on the players that do want to play for us
— Rob Rose (@RobRose42) June 9, 2020
We’re out of the relegation places on goal difference. Now is no time for this, especially on 5 or 6 appearances. Just get your nut down and sort it out at the end of the season.
— Ian Challis (@IanChallis) June 9, 2020
I don’t have an issue with him holding out for the deal he wants but not extending his deal until the end of the new season is ridiculous and it’s really bad advice from his agent.
— BKHammer (@BKhammer1) June 9, 2020