West Ham United co-owner Daniel Kretinsky has been speaking this week about his role as an investor, and why he views running a business – or a football club in the Hammers’ case – like a game of chess.
Following their relegation after 14 consecutive years of Premier League football, the so-called ‘Czech sphinx’ is expected to play a major role as West Ham United attempt to bounce back at the first time of asking.
Kretinsky emerged victorious in a power struggle with David Sullivan this week. The former wanted Nuno Espirito Santo to stay, and his wish would come true via an official statement Wednesday morning.
How worried should West Ham be about SUCCESSIVE relegations? 📉
Sunderland and Leicester went from the Prem to League One in 12 months…
It is understood that Kretinsky has increased his stake in the London Stadium outfit too, from an initial 27 per cent to around 40 per cent.
So while some still feel that a full buyout of the highly-unpopular Sullivan remains unlikely, at least West Ham have another voice in the boardroom these days.
West Ham United co-owner Daniel Kretinsky opens
Speaking to Petr Simunek on the It All Starts Today podcast, Kretinsky opened up about how he views his role as a businessman, a lawyer, a CEO and – in West Ham’s case – a major shareholder.
“Imagine every company from the perspective of understanding what you have to do, how you behave towards competition, and how you want to develop. In this sense, it’s like a chess game,” Kretinsky says.
“We have a lot of these chessboards, and they are of different sizes. You have to know the big chessboards, and you have to always know what the game is about and what the rules of the game are.
“With the big ones, I have to understand what’s going on. For the most important things happening within the company, I am the person who oversees or personally supervises it, so I have to know exactly where the game is, where the knight is.
“I just have to know.
“Then, of course, there are smaller chessboards where I just need to know what is being played, but I don’t need to know the rules of the game in detail if I’m convinced that our player there is good. Then, I just check that the person playing for us is in the right place.
“When it’s a part of the business that doesn’t threaten or fundamentally affect the whole, of course I don’t need to know every detail.
“It is a combination of two roles.”
Kretinsky expected to wield more influence at the London Stadium
How important is it that West Ham hire a Director of Football? 💰 🖋️
Middlesbrough's Kieran Scott has been linked…
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes ‘Kretinsky’s voice will be a bit louder from now on’, following the passing of David Gold, the departure of former vice-chair Karren Brady, and last season’s relegation.
“The role I just described with those chess games is basically the role of an investor,” adds a man who spent around £200 million on an initial 27 per cent stake in 2021.
“You have to understand what is at stake. Then, of course, there is clearly that layer of responsibility where you have to keep an eye on things, especially when it takes the form of critical infrastructure. You have to be absolutely sure that we are fulfilling our social responsibility there.
“That’s actually my job.”
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
