An influential protest group has slammed West Ham’s owners and claims talisman Declan Rice will be forced to leave due to a lack of ambition.
West Ham fans are today coming to terms with the club’s lack of activity in the January transfer window.
Hammers boss David Moyes made it clear he was looking to bring a new striker to West Ham after two years of trying without success.
And the Scot wanted a defender to bolster his side with so much to play for in the second half of the season too.
After two years of huge progress under Moyes, many West Ham fans fear the club has missed a golden opportunity to seriously challenge for the top four or at least consolidate its place in the top six.
Those concerns are understandable with the potential resurgence of several rival clubs who have been enduring transitional periods. Aston Villa are showing great ambition, Everton could challenge again if their money is better spent under Frank Lampard and newly-minted Newcastle – to mention but three – threaten to be a force.
Deadline day came and went without any new arrivals at West Ham and resentment from fans has bubbled to the surface after a two-year period of relative serenity.
Now Hammers United, the West Ham fan group with 18,500 members which has led protests against David Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady, has released a statement slamming the board for a lack of ambition.
Protest group slams West Ham owners and claims Declan Rice and two key teammates will be forced to leave due to lack of ambition
And Hammers United chairman Paul Colborne says it will result in West Ham star Declan Rice and key teammates Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen being forced to leave the club.
“The January transfer window shut and we didn’t add a single player to our squad; not one,” Colborne said in a statement.
“Frankly, I am finding this hard to come to terms with. It is difficult to believe given where the team under Moyes has been for the last 18 months. We are so close. If ever there was a time to invest in our beloved football club and give us a genuine shot at some silverware surely it is now. Surely this was the moment.
“I am often critical of GSB, but I fully expected them to strengthen the squad. It seemed so obvious. I felt sure we would add much needed depth and I assured fellow fans as such.
“Last season the stars aligned for West Ham United. We had a world-class player come through the ranks, something which happens maybe once in a lifetime. Last time this happened we sold, rather than invested. We didn’t have the extra challenge of European football. We made two terrific signings who both hit the ground running and we had the fewest injuries of all Premier League clubs. We missed out on Champions League qualification by two points.
“Had we signed a striker or backup for Declan/Tomas in LAST YEAR’S January transfer window, I feel sure we would have qualified for the Champions League.
“West Ham sold (Seb) Haller in January 2021. Any other club would have replaced their key striker at that same point. This is now the third transfer window that has opened and closed, without us replacing him. Are us fans really being asked to believe that there is no suitable striker out there, and that there hasn’t been over the course of last three transfer windows?
“We have also desperately needed competition at left back for some time, adequate back up for Declan and Tomas is still not sorted and with Angelo Ogbonna likely to be out for the season, we desperately needed to sign another centre back.
“A genuine top four club would have signed all four. I would have been happy with the striker and centre back, as I believe most West Ham fans would also be. BUT WE SIGNED NOBODY.
“The club have let the fans down massively and this transfer window has been a disaster. What will the ramifications be? Let’s hope that we don’t fall away in the league. Let’s hope we continue our run in the Europa League and give the FA Cup a good go. Let’s hope that our ability to avoid an injury crisis will continue.
“To keep Declan, we need to qualify for European football, possibly the Champions League. My personal belief is that, on noting the club’s lack of ambition he will decide to leave in the summer. It is quite possible that Soucek and Bowen could also follow suit.
“There is no doubt that the club have let the players and the fans down badly.”
You can read the full Hammers United statement on the website.
It remains to be seen whether West Ham – as they have done previously – will release an official statement addressing supporter concerns following the failure to add to the squad.
But Moyes will almost certainly be quizzed on the matter when he faces the press ahead of games against Kidderminster and Watford in the next week.
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