Prominent national journalists Henry Winter and John Cross have absolutely nailed it with their brilliant tirades on the situation unfolding at West Ham.
The respected duo didn’t hold back as they delivered stinging verdicts on the chaos engulfing the club in terms of the under-fire owners and manager Graham Potter.
‘West Ham are massive everywhere they go’ the fans used to sing.
Under Potter West Ham are passive everywhere they go and it is threatening to make the Hammers the biggest club in the Championship.
West Ham fans have been protesting against the board, specifically David Sullivan and Karren Brady.
That has brought the glare of the national press, usually firmly fixed on their beloved “Big Six”, on the London Stadium of late.
Winter and Cross absolutely nail it with brilliant West Ham tirades
As far as the cause of fed-up West Ham fans are concerned that can only be a good thing.
After all it brings increased focus on the growing army of supporters who want the owners out – or at the very least to step aside until they sell-up.
Not all pundits and reporters have sided with Hammers fans, though.
Lifelong West Ham fan and leading journalist Martin Samuel has been critical of supporters over their misgivings and protests against the ownership.
Simon Jordan and Jim White have also slammed Hammers fans.
Supporters lined the street leading to the director’s entrance at the London Stadium in protest before the Palace game.
Thousands turned out with plans for more activism, including boycotts, on the horizon.
After yet another dismal defeat, this time 2-1 at home to Palace, West Ham fans have also fully turned on manager Potter.
Most feel he is a symptom rather than a cause of the club’s ills.
But Potter’s record of six wins from 25 games is nowhere near acceptable regardless of what he is working with and who he is working for.
Hammers fans chanted ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ and ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ at Potter during the loss to the Eagles.
There were also chants of ‘sack the board’.
West Ham fans have had their fill of owners and Potter
Some pundits, journalists and rival fans are critical of Hammers fans, painting them as fickle, entitled and unrealistic.
West Ham fans are often derided over their appetite for a more expansive and modern style of play which ultimately saw David Moyes leave the club when the Scot hit struggles.
If West Ham fans had a penny for every time they have heard the sentence ‘be careful what you wish for’, they could probably get the money together and buy the club from Sullivan.
Very few truly get it when it comes to West Ham, the situation and the real reasons why the fans are so deeply unhappy.
Two of the country’s leading reporters do, though.
Henry Winter and John Cross have absolutely nailed it with brilliant West Ham tirades in the wake of the latest Hammers debacle.
It seems increasingly likely West Ham will be sacking Potter in the coming days or weeks.
But Hammers fans don’t trust the owners to make the right appointment to replace him.
Once again the club is only being linked with out-of-work free agent managers, many of whom fail to excite supporters.
Speaking about the situation on X, Winter addressed the Potter issue, stating it has become clear he is not the man for the job, but asking who really is?
“West Ham and Potter cannot continue like this,” Winter said.
“If there were signs of progress in performance perhaps they could stomach results and stick with him.
Winter: West Ham board must sell or listen
“But they’re drifting. And Potter doesn’t look to have the answers.
“The question is if the board makes a decision…who comes in?
“Better-run clubs have succession planning so if a manager does dip/leave they know who to go for. Brighton (are) brilliant at it.
“Problems at West Ham deeper than Potter…
“Three-thousand West Ham fans attended this protest against the board before the Palace match. These well-organised protests will continue.
“Board either has to sell or begin properly acknowledging fans’ concerns – and acting on them (although they’re stuck with an athletics stadium).”
Speaking on the revived Sunday Supplement show on Sky Sports, Cross went even harder.
The reporter feels West Ham players should not escape criticism, saying few are fit to wear the shirt.
But he says that all comes down to the owners who have completely wasted a major opportunity to progress after winning the Conference League two years ago.
Cross says West Ham’s brilliant fanbase has been completely let down, describing the way the club has been run as ‘shocking’.
Cross: Brilliant Hammers fans deserve so much more
He also states the team has no identity and says they are in for a season-long relegation battle.
“Let’s have it absolutely right, this is a team that under David Moyes won a European trophy and had a platform to succeed, what two years ago, they had money to rebuild and restructure that club.
“What is that team? That team has no identity, that team has no directional base to it, it’s just a mish-mash and nobody is fit to wear that shirt.
“West Ham is such a great club with such a brilliant fanbase who are so passionate and they deserve so much more than they’re getting on the pitch and off it I think.
“Honestly it’s shocking, absolutely shocking the way that club has gone downward since then. What an opportunity they had.
“And now they are facing a full on relegation scrap and I think that’s a damning indictment of that football from top to bottom.”
These assessments will strike a chord with Hammers fans.
Whether they strike a chord with the owners remains to be seen.
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