Mixed night for new West Ham co-owner Daniel Kretinsky as conflict of interest is avoided for another year at least.
Having purchased a 27 per cent stake in West Ham just a couple of weeks ago, Czech billionaire Kretinsky is already reaping the rewards.
The Hammers cruised through to the last 16 of the Europa League yesterday evening with a professional 2-0 win away at Rapid Wien in Austria.
It means David Moyes’s side effectively have a four-month rest from European competition.
And when the Europa League resumes in March West Ham will be just three ties from the final.
What a great time to have just invested in the Hammers, who are sitting fourth in the Premier League and are one game from a Carabao Cup semi-final too.
Mixed night for new West Ham co-owner Daniel Kretinsky as conflict of interest is avoided
It wasn’t all good news for Kretinsky, though. The Sparta Prague fan and owner saw his Czech side well beaten 2-0 at Rangers to crash out of the Europa League.
The good news is that a potentially awkward conflict of interest has been avoided as a result.
Had Sparta made it through to the Europa League knockouts too there was always a chance Kretinsky’s side and West Ham could meet.
That would have undoubtedly had made uncomfortable viewing for Kretinsky.
It would also have raised the question again about how the Czech Sphinx’s arrangement will work long term.
As first reported by Hammers News, Sparta and West Ham would not be allowed to both play in European competition IF Kretinsky was to ever take full control from David Sullivan and David Gold at the London Stadium and remain the owner of his beloved club he has supported since a child.
Given West Ham fans are keen for Kretinsky to eventually become the club’s owner, that issue will have to be addressed at some point in the not too distant future.
Unless of course Kretinsky has no intention of taking full control of West Ham.
In the meantime West Ham can enjoy the next few months and the prospect of an exciting draw for the last 16.
In February everyone connected with West Ham can sit back and relax as they watch the second placed teams from the Europa League group stages face off against the dropouts from the Champions League for the right to play against the Hammers and the other seven group winners.
It will be a great feeling.
And West Ham will have nothing to fear from any side they draw.