Forum | General Discussion

The illusion has finally been put straight as the ‘Czech Sphinx ’, Daniel Křetínský, has spoken for the first time since taking over as a majority shareholder of West Ham United.

Křetínský spoke to The Times in what is a rare direct interview with the Czech national. The Billionaire spoke about West Ham’s overall situation but briefly dumbed it down to the players, the finances and the ambitions of the club.

"We have a very credible strategy”

"What matters is funding, strategy and consistency. We don't need to sell the players for financial reasons. We are doing this to make sure we are promoted back to the Premier League immediately. That is our only goal.

"Key players are waiting for us. They want to see there is a real chance of keeping the squad together. We have spoken to all of them. They need to see that our project is real and serious. Promotion is our only goal."

The crucial aspects of the statement simply put the record straight, West Ham United do not need to sell. We have been told over the past decade that we always need to recoup, well, all of a sudden, Hammers fans are now being told the opposite.

“Key players are waiting” - the goal is simple: retain the squad, add a handful of players to improve as well as replace those who wish to leave, but overall, keep the majority tight and rise above all to promotion.

Whilst the Hammers may not need to sell, Daniel Křetínský’s £90m investment, which is expected to be put in before July 1st, simply will not be enough to put the Hammers in the green for the long run; a lot more work will have to come.

Spend low, invest well.

But these investments are not in players. West Ham have been used as a ‘cash cow’ previously by the owners to the point where the club became unsustainable and started to spiral. Křetínský will have to be willing to sacrifice making a profit at West Ham for a handful of years, but as time passes, the story might change.

Promotion to the Premier League will see West Ham earn upwards of £150m+ in revenue overall, and with £90m pumped in, that places the Hammers in a position of comfort rather than worry, but still red rather than green.

It’s a tricky situation, but it’s a positive to hear refreshing news - however, that won’t be the last of it before July.

David Sullivan, in the most recent weeks, has had his pockets of speech, first initially commenting on his resignation, followed by his statement to the BBC, followed by his response to being banned from Women and West Ham Youth matches and now claiming that he’s had “hundreds of emails saying I shouldn’t have resigned”.

What’s more ludicrous, continue spouting the nonsense of David Sullivan or believing his blatant last-ditch efforts to swindle the media?

Across the accusations that have now been released, the new information about David Sullivan being banned from West Ham’s Women and Youth teams, it tells you everything you need to know to understand that David Sullivan is not qualified to be a Football owner, and it is rather remarkable that the FA knew about allegations yet chose to ‘turn a blind eye’ to the situation.

Whilst there have been a very limited few, Sullivan has been receiving support from select sources and individuals who likely had dodgy Enter key buttons, accidentally formulating the “hundreds” of emails he has received.

Is it just the fans who believe this? No.

Both eToro and BOYLE Sports have released statements and raised their concerns about the anonymity of the situation surrounding David Sullivan.

eToro are known for having a good relationship with the West Ham Women’s team and the WSL, causing overall concern.

Whilst Hammers fans may not be the biggest admirers of the ‘BOYLE Sports’ plastered at the front of the shirt, the spinster is currently set to be the highest paid front of shirt in the Championship, which will come in handy given the Championship’s financial rules.

Even though David Sullivan resigned from his position, it is still causing trouble - which ultimately summarises how much trouble Sullivan has brought.

The trouble has now evolved into a mess, and it’s up to Daniel Kretinsky to take the reins. Don’t forget, if David Sullivan doesn’t sell his shares to give the ‘Czech Sphinx’ a majority stake, the Gold Family’s shares are always up for grabs.

New news about David Sullivan seems to be released every day, and it makes you wonder what is next… after the BBC Panorama that was released on Monday night, it was then announced that there had been an agreement in 2023 for David Sullivan not to interact with the Women’s team and the West Ham Youth teams.

This decision was said to be for three years, but seemingly will now not be a problem given that Sullivan has now stepped down.

There have even been reports to suggest that the IFR, Independent Football Regulator, could perhaps FORCE David Sullivan to sell the club and be removed as an owner, but this is unlikely to happen, and in the event that it did occur, it would take years to finalise, leaving the Hammers in a wormhole.

A solution of simple nature would be Daniel Kretinsky buying a majority stake, which doesn’t solve the overarching issue but at least puts the ball in motion.

However, overlooking the ifs, buts and maybes, in this moment in time, it now needs to be known what we have to do. Seeing as the Hammers still abide by Premier League rules until July 1st, Kretinsky has the ability to put in £100m to help the club with its debts and avoid any concern over a transfer embargo or a potential points deduction.

If Kretinsky is to put in money after July 1st, it will NOT be able to be anywhere near the £100m total, given the Championship financial rules.

Funding to help reduce the debt, buying a majority owner’s share- those are the needs, but the wants could entertain a whole new idea.

Kretinsky is a man who doesn’t like loans, doesn’t like debt and, most importantly, doesn’t like not having control, all of which West Ham and he are currently suffering from. To start making a net profit at West Ham, not only will it take years, but it will also require a ludicrous amount to invest in.

Being limited in what is able to be done about the London Stadium won’t sit right with Kretinsky, and should he want to start earning money from the stadium, he will simply have to potentially purchase the stadium outright, allowing him to develop it in his desired format as well as making it a better place for fans.

Additionally, if improvements are made but aren’t retained, there’s essentially no point; a real hierarchy of quality needs to be put into place to ensure the future of the football club, establishing a long-term vision with meaning, not just words, which has been done previously.

There’s an endless list of ‘wants’ which ultimately summarise the state of West Ham United at this given moment. Damage over the past decade has hurt the Hammers, but it will only get worse if the right changes aren’t made - Daniel Kretinsky really is West Ham’s final hope now.