Wayne Rooney has pointed the finger at West Ham’s players after their relegation was confirmed on the final day.
Despite winning 3-0 against Leeds at the London Stadium, the Hammers did not have enough to survive the drop.
Many will criticise Nuno Espirito Santo’s management, given that he had eight months to turn things around.
However, Rooney has suggested that West Ham’s players let Nuno down by not giving 100 per cent effort all the time.
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Wayne Rooney blames West Ham players for relegation
Rooney first recognised that newly-promoted Sunderland and Leeds had changed the Premier League landscape.
Their impressive Premier League returns made it more difficult for clubs like Wolves and West Ham to avoid relegation.
However, the Hammers had more than enough quality to finish above the bottom three if they had applied themselves more.
Rooney has claimed that he saw West Ham players lacking intensity without the ball several times this season.
Those are the “fine margins” that have resulted in their relegation to the Championship after 14 years in the top flight.
“I think they are good players, but I also think the teams that have come up recruited well, which has allowed them to stay in the Premier League,” Rooney said on Match of the Day.
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“I’ve watched West Ham quite a few times this season, and this is damning for the players. I don’t think the players have given enough.
“I’ve seen them walking back, not getting to the ball to get tackles in, stop crosses, and those are the fine margins you have to get right.”
Rooney’s analysis suggests Nuno was not to blame for West Ham’s relegation, as he is not responsible for the players’ effort.
One could argue that he lost the dressing room, but the players should have cared enough about the club to give everything regardless.
It appears that Nuno will lose his job at the London Stadium this week, as managers are often scapegoats for underperforming teams.
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