Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has had his say on struggling West Ham United’s move to the Olympic Stadium and it makes grim reading for the club’s owners.
West Ham players look dejected after defeat to Southampton
A terrible start to the season, infighting amongst fans, resentment towards owners and concerns over safety at the club’s new 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium home have soured the Hammers’ campaign so far.
Slaven Bilic‘s side have lost five of their opening six Premier League matches – their worst ever start to a season – conceding 11 goals in three back-to-back defeats against Watford, West Bromwich Albion and Southampton.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic with empty seats behind him The Hammers were also embarrassingly dumped out of the Europa League by Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu for the second season running.
Pundits, fans, West Ham’s players and Bilic himself have struggled to put their finger on how things have contrasted so sharply to the Hammers‘ fantastic farewell season at Upton Park.
And former Anfield great Fowler told The Mirror it is down to missing their beloved Boleyn.
Robbie Fowler
“I don’t care what anyone says, West Ham’s new home is not a football stadium – which explains their start to the season,” Fowler told The Mirror.
“The fact is, it was a tough decision to give up the Boleyn Ground and all the advantage that gave to the club and, so far, it looks like it’s backfired.
Upton Park missed
“I played there many times, and when I think West Ham, I think of that Chicken Run, with the fans literally two feet away from you, giving me merciless stick and intimidating opponents often into submission.
“That atmosphere, the seething mass of people, the tension in the air, sometimes it left visiting teams defeated before they arrived. You could feel the breath of the fans, they were that close. You could hear every word they shouted at you… and I got plenty shouted at me, even if it wasn’t quite as personal as I used to get at Goodison.
“Now, the fans seem miles away from the pitch and they seem to be disenchanted with the new experience.”
West Ham United Vice Chairman Karren Brady outside the Olympic Stadium
Even West Ham’s solitary Premier League win against Bournemouth was a 1-0 grind as was their last gasp 96th win over League Two Accrington Stanley in the League Cup last week.
Fowler’s points will make for difficult reading for West Ham fans and the club’s owners.
Karren Brady – fast becoming a hate figure at the club – boldly claimed on the club’s official website it had been the most successful football stadium migration before the start of the season.
In truth it has been anything but both on and off the pitch, even if it is too easy an excuse for the club’s under performing players.
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