West Ham United legend Tony Cottee has spoken out in defence of under fire co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
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Sullivan, Gold and West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady are commonly acronymed GSB as part of a GSBOUT campaign pushed by disgruntled fans.
Supporters protesting for the trio to sell up and leave have always made it clear they ‘back the team but not the regime’.
Results on the pitch have made for a more harmonious campaign with West Ham enjoying their best season for 35 years.
Anti-GSB sentiment still alive and kicking despite West Ham enjoying best season for 35 years
But the anti-board sentiment remains among a large section of West Ham fans.
And when the club failed to sign a striker to replace Sebastien Haller in January – leaving David Moyes with injury-prone converted winger Michail Antonio as his only senior forward – supporters were not best pleased.
Moyes insists it was his decision to hold on to the Haller money until the summer so he could sign a striker HE wants.
But some fans feel the owners should have pushed the boat out to get that player in for the manager during the winter window.
Owners under fire again over failure to sign striker
As so many predicted, Antonio – who has only played more than 25 games in a season once in his entire career – was promptly injured just a week after the window closed.
That has sparked more criticism of the owners from fans and pundits.
But now West Ham legend Tony Cottee has spoken out in defence of the board (whufc.com).
And the former Hammers striker moved to explain the thinking ahead of West Ham’s summer transfer moves.
‘It’s very easy for people to criticise’ Cottee defends owners and explains rationale behind West Ham’s summer transfer plans
“It’s very easy for people to criticise and say ‘we should have bought a forward’ but the January window is always a difficult one to buy in as the options are limited and prices are always inflated,” Cottee told whufc.com.
“David Moyes has signed and will continue to sign players who fit the pattern and ethos of what he wants and he has already said that player wasn’t available, for whatever reason, last month.
“Why spend £10 million or £20 million on a player who doesn’t fit and then, when they aren’t playing and their price drops, you can’t move them on The last thing you want to do is waste money in this current climate, when your revenue streams have dried up…
“There are lots of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ but I understand the position taken and once we get to the summer we can reassess and bolster the squad, hopefully for a Europa League campaign.
‘I’m not sure you can ever win’
“When you play one up front, I think you need three strikers – Michail plus two others – and I’m sure David will look at that position in the summer.
“We’ve been criticised for overspending in the past and now we’re being criticised for not spending, so I’m not sure you can ever win!”
Cottee will undoubtedly be criticised by some fans for defending Sullivan and Gold.
But it should be noted he has made it clear he believes GSB have long since burned their bridges with supporters.
Speaking on The West Ham Way Extra Time podcast earlier this season, Cottee tried to play Devil’s Advocate.
“I wouldn’t say they’re my friends but I know them well enough to know that I honestly think that they think that what they’re doing is in the best interests of the football club,” Cottee told The West Ham Way Extra Time podcast.
“I don’t think the relationship between the fans and the current owners can ever be rebuilt.”
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