James Collins cuts out the spin to finally tell the truth about West Ham’s struggles this season

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James Collins returned to the West Ham United side that drew with Middlesbrough and had a few home truths for his teammates.

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic

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 seven Premier League matches, picking up just four points from 21 so far.

The Hammers were also embarrassingly dumped out of the Europa League by Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu for the second season running.

West Ham United’s Mark Noble looks dejected

Pundits, West Ham’s players and Bilic himself have been unable to put their finger on how things have contrasted so sharply to the Hammers‘ fantastic farewell season at Upton Park.

Meanwhile co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold have dressed it up as a blip and pledged the club will turn things around in a message to fans on the official website.

Hammers fans are growing increasingly frustrated and are fast running out of patience with the club.

But now one of their cult heroes, James Collins, has finally cut through all the empty words and spin to tell the the Guardian the truth about what the fans have noticed from day one this season.

West Ham’s James Collins

“We haven’t been working hard enough and we’ve spoken about it all week,” Collins told the Guardian.

“Obviously we watched the game at the weekend (a 3-0 defeat to Southampton).

“I wasn’t involved but it was evident from where I watched it. We’ve had a few words, the boys know we need to work harder and I think we did that (against Middlesbrough).”

If there is one thing West Ham fans – or any football fans for that matter- hate more than anything, it is being taken for fools.

West Ham fans

Hammers supporters are a knowledgeable bunch and fans forums and social media has been abuzz all season long with criticism of the players’ workrate this season.

While injuries and poor signings have played a big part, complacency has unmistakably crept in this season and Collins is right to finally address is publicly.