Relegation could be catastrophe for West Ham

West Ham United suffered a 3-2 defeat at fellow strugglers at Wigan yesterday.

The result keep Wigan’s survival hopes alive but defeat meant that the Hammers will be playing in the Championship next season.

Proper

West Ham are a proper football club. They have a local fan base with a very local feel about the place. They are also very much now a family club. The Hammers also have a great football tradition.

The history of the club is immense. The likes of England greats Bobby Moore and Martin Peters wore the West Ham colours and its sad to see the Irons back in the second tier of English football once again.

Ruin

A source close to the club told me that West Ham are in such financial trouble that the club could become the next Southampton or Leeds United. Whether this is an exaggerated report  or not the club aren’t in the best of financial health.

Sales

One way the club will gain a healthier financial footing is by selling some of their best players. The Hammers have a host of very saleable players in their squad.

England internationals Robert Green, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole will all command decent fees and all will probably be sold.

Like any team being relegated from the Premier League West Ham will have to cut their cloth accordingly next season and that means losing the players on the highest wages. The highest paid players are also usually the best players at the club.

Owners

When the new West Ham owners arrived at the club they were heralded as saviours. However in recent months they have shown that they are only bad news for the club from the East End.

They could prove me wrong next season but I think it’s very unlikely. If David Sullivan and Gold turn the club around then I will eat humble pie.

Negative

The whole club has been surrounded by negativity at time this season. The owners had the club going down in March and some of the players comments recently have not exactly fill the fans with confidence.

The negative atmosphere around the club has not helped the players confidence on the pitch either and at times they have looked completely demoralised.

Underachievement

It’s been a real surprise to me to see West ham struggle so badly this season. They have so many good players. It must be really frustrating for the fans watching a side full of international players struggle so badly.

The fact that most of West Ham’s best players will probably move to Premier League clubs this summer just proves they are good enough for England’s top flight. They have massively underachieved as a group of players and the fans will suffer the consequence of the players poor performance next season.

Manager

The Hammers parted company with boss Avram Grant after yesterday’s defeat. I actually predicted that West Ham would have a decent season under Grant but it’s turned out to be a nightmare campaign for the club.

I thought the Israeli was a good solid boss who would steady the ship. However he has proved this season that he is simply not good enough to be a Premier League boss. And the West Ham board have paid the price for not sacking Grant sooner.

The West Ham owners are looking to find a replacement quickly and they are going to need to. The turnaround of players this summer is bound to be massive.

Championship

Next season will be a tough one for West Ham, depending on how many of their players they lose. I doubt that many of their best players will stay at the club and whoever their new manager is will have a huge job on his hands getting the Hammers back into the Premier League.

I just can’t see the club bouncing back at the first attempt. I just hope for the sake of the fans that their financial problems aren’t as bad as I’ve been told because if they are then the Hammers could be major trouble.

Who is to blame for West Ham’s problems this season?