Premier League veteran James Ward-Prowse, some may argue, epitomises the mistakes of West Ham United in the transfer market.
Signing a £30 million midfielder on a contract running until after his 32nd birthday, after all, is not a particularly well thought-out decision from a financial perspective. And maybe a sporting one too.
While the three Bs of Brentford, Bournemouth and Brighton continue to punch well above their weight thanks to a consistent transfer policy revolving around young, hungry players with considerable re-sale potential, this is a West Ham United squad chock full of ageing, highly-paid, underperforming footballers destined to make the club a considerable financial loss.
Upton Park icon Joe Cole may call it a ‘typical’ West Ham signing.
And, by his own admission, James Ward-Prowse endured a disappointing campaign. Making only five starts before his loan deal was terminated in January, Ward-Prowse’s contribution to Nottingham Forest’s European charge was as meaty as Casey Affleck’s to Oppenheimer’s Oscar win.
Former Southampton captain Ward-Prowse played a much bigger role following the appointment of Graham Potter in January, though, and he is therefore hoping to be a central part of an attempted West Ham resurgence next term.
James Ward-Prowse backs Graham Potter for success at West Ham United
Speaking to Sky Sports, Ward-Prowse believes there have been enough good signs under Potter to suggest that happier times may be just around the corner.
“The games have been really competitive,” says the midfielder, who now has over 400 Premier League appearances to sit alongside his eleven England caps. “We’ve been in the games but it’s just fallen on the wrong side for us. I think that’s been down to some of the finer details in those games.
“I think there are a lot of things that we can improve. But I think if we can focus and hone in on those fine details, that can make a big difference.
“The manager will be keen to have a pre-season with us, really put things across to us and work in a way that he wants to.
“So I’m confident we will improve. It’s up to us to put those actions into place on the pitch.”
Former Southampton skipper happy to become a leader at West Ham
Ward-Prowse, at the age of 30, is now one of the elder statesmen in a dressing room shorn of Vladimir Coufal, Lukasz Fabianski and Aaron Cresswell. Michail Antonio could also leave West Ham with his contract expiring next month.
And while he may not have made much of an impression on the pitch, skipper Jarrod Bowen was keen to highlight Danny Ings’ importance off it.
But Ward-Prowse, who captained Southampton for three years from 2020 to 2023, is more than willing to step up and fill a sudden void of leadership.
“I think everybody leads in different ways,” he adds. “I don’t think you need to be this stereotypical shouter and sort of aggressor. You can be more of a subtle leader. I think that’s the way that I try to do it.
“Try and lead by example, try and drive the standards in a sort of a secretive way, if you like.
“But then again, you do have more vocal leaders in the changing room. So it’s about finding that balance and making sure that we lead by example.”
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