'The Graham Crumble'

Graham Otter exited the building at Rush Green for the last time on Saturday, and a new manager walked through the same door Potter exited just a few hours later.

In classic West Ham fashion, GP became the headline for numerous different reasons, but these weren’t for dodgy appointment times; it turns out that Graham ‘we need to improve’ Potter started to become a rather unpopular figure within the club and the dressing room.

Graham started to have major doubts about Jarrod Bowem being captain. He believed that he might not be captain material, and despite being a player of such quality, he had concerns about whether he was the right fit, despite being reassured by people higher up that he was the right man for the armband.

As well as the captain questioning, Graham also became a man who was gaining a track record for falling out with the players, the likes of Emerson, Coufal, Wan-Bissaka, Alvarez and Todibo all became players he didn’t like and subsequently got rid of them or dropped them.

Emerson and Coufal, both of whom played serious parts in us winning the Conference League and still had a lot to offer, both faced very harsh exits. Emerson had lost his place for Scarles come the end of the season, in which the Italian was then sent to the U21S, forcing him to move to Marseille.

Vlad had asked the club to stay and extend his contract, in which he was willing to accept a 50% pay-cut and happy to be a reserve/fringe player due to his son signing for the Hammers. The club accepted this proposal, but Potter overruled this, and Coufal moved to Hoffenheim.

You’d have to consider who was more unpopular, Labour or Potter!

In a similar fashion to his playing style, a void had been created… but this time in the dressing room rather than on the pitch, as with the decision not to extend Antonio’s contract left more than a loss of a player, Antonio ran the fines systems for the club and organised the team bonding sessions, and seeing as he wasn’t replaced, it left a hole that the Hammers coudln’t successed without.

In his six victories at the club, it would be the only time the dressing room had smiles around, seeing as after defeats, which were a regular result, the dressing room would often be quiet amongst the team, leaving Potter to tremble out his encouraging words, which ultimately would have minimal effect.

Upon his sacking, it came as a surprise to some of the players, but to others it was an anticipated decision with some certain that a change had to be made, which mirrored the feelings of the hierarchy, seeing as the ‘rash’ decision came due to the overwhelming feeling that the Hammers would suffer relegation if things continued as such.