West Ham United co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold lambasted by pundits after links to players from Sunderland, Celtic, Brentford and Hull City.
The Hammers have once again been linked with a plethora of players after torrid first half of the season.
Slaven Bilic’s side sit 13th in the Premier League and have been dumped out of the Europa League, EFL Cup and most recently the FA Cup off the back of a 5-0 home thrashing at the hands of Manchester City last time out.
The majority of supporters have pointed the finger of blame at owners David Sullivan and David Gold for their failure to live up to promises over transfer spending in the summer.
West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold
The duo had publicly pledged on the club’s official website back in May that they were willing to spend over £30 million on a marquee striker signing, an article which has now been deleted.
Some supporters feel it was merely a ploy to sell season tickets at their new 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium home as Bilic saw his squad diluted with a clutch of poor signings – many on free transfers or on loan – and only Edimilson Fernandes has made a positive impact.
Now with the opening of the January window West Ham are once again the main club making the headlines with the media seemingly made aware of all the club’s targets and bids.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic
Every spit and cough of moves for the likes of Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe, Brentford star Scott Hogan, Celtic forward Moussa Dembele and Hull City playmaker Robert Snodgrass has been plastered across the tabloids.
Fans are fed up of seeing their club’s transfer business aired in public and vice-chairman Karren Brady even called an end to a bizarre columnist dubbed ‘The Insider’ – which openly discussed transfer targets and business – on the official website.
Now Sky Sports pundits Jeff Stelling and Phil Thompson have criticised the owners for their transfer conduct on Soccer Saturday.
“If you look at the transfer window you know Liverpool might sign whoever, we don’t hear anything about it,” Stelling said on Soccer Saturday.
Sky Sports Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling
“Manchester City, we don’t hear anything about it, we don’t hear anything about Manchester United.
“We seem to hear about every single target that West Ham are interested in, why is that, why do they do their business in public… or fail to do their business in public?” Stelling asked former Liverpool legend Thompson.
“The owners very much seem to get involved in them (and) they want praise when they get one right,” Thompson replied.
If West Ham are truly serious about challenging the Premier League elite after their move to Stratford then they must start by having a bit more class in the transfer market.
The scattergun approach and overbearing nature of Sullivan’s involvement in transfers has undoubtedly undermined Bilic’s second season at a time when the club should be looking ahead to a bright future not over their shoulder worrying about relegation.
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