5 things that must change for West Ham to be taken seriously next season

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West Ham United took a big step backwards last season, here’s five things that must change for the club to be taken seriously again.

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic

The Hammers laboured to an 11th place finish in the Premier League in what was a tough second season for Slaven Bilic.

It was a far cry from the record breaking farewell campaign at the club’s beloved Boleyn Ground.

But many pundits and West Ham fans actually felt Bilic did a fine job steering the club through testing times with injuries, poor recruitment, the Dimitri Payet saga, the fallout from the move to the Olympic Stadium and constant speculation over his future making life difficult.

Bilic says goodbye to Dimitri Payet in January

Many had predicted the big move to Stratford would propel the East Londoners onto another level and enable them to push on and compete with the league’s elite after finishing just four points off the Champions League places last year.

Things have not panned out that way thus far, though, and here are five things which must change if the club is to be taken seriously again.

West Ham United owners David Gold and David Sullivan

Owners need to stay out of the media

West Ham’s co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold have been heavily criticised by fans and pundits alike for the very public way they conduct club business. From regular updates on Twitter from Gold and Sullivan’s two sons Jack and Dave to Karren Brady’s columns in The Sun, a bizarre Insider column which discusses details of transfer business and Sullivan addressing fans on the official website, West Ham have become something of a joke with other clubs keeping their business out of the public domain. Next season that must change if the Hammers are to be taken seriously again, and there are signs the owners have learned their lesson so far this summer. Supporters will be hoping it stays that way.

Clarity over club’s recruitment

Recently West Ham talent spotter Tony Henry more or less revealed it is him and his team of scouts who head up the club’s recruitment. That did not go down well with a section of the club’s fans who want to see more trust placed in Bilic to get the right players in, particularly after a disastrous year of transfers. The club needs to be more transparent over who is in charge of transfer business, not least so they know who to blame should things not work out again next season.

Robert Snodgrass has failed to impress

Quality over quantity

Bilic has already insisted the club must go for quality over quantity this summer after 13 mostly average signings only served to dilute his squad last term. The Croatian is targeting “three or four game-changing signings'” and has already brought in experienced right back Pablo Zabaleta. Two strikers and a top class attacking midfielder are needed now but they simply must be of the highest possible quality.

Shift the deadwood

West Ham have accumulated a lot of average players – many on big contracts – in the last year and may struggle to shed them to free up space in their squad. Players like Robert Snodgrass, Sofiane Feghouli, Andre Ayew and Havard Nordtveit could help generate even more funds for transfers and wages for Bilic should the Irons be able to find potential suitors.

Reece Oxford, Reece Burke and Marcus Browne in training

Give youth a chance

West Ham fans are rightly proud of their self-styled status as the Academy of football. The club have always produced top quality players for the first team and national side but that how slowed to a standstill in recent seasons. Things looked to have changed when Bilic first took over with the likes of Reece Oxford and Reece Burke being given first team chances. But while both impressed youth has barely had a look in since, much to the frustration of the Hammers faithful. West Ham have at least seven highly promising young players emerging together and could be on the cusp of a golden generation if Bilic finally gives them a chance in the same way Mauricio Pochettino does at rivals Tottenham Hotspur.