On March 12, The Daily Mail revealed on its website that the Hammers are among the ten Premier League teams that have refused to accept the £900 million funding proposal for the EFL.
According to the report, more and more elite teams are thinking about abandoning English football’s “New Deal” and suing the government if it tries to make them pay up.
The acts of those clubs have left many stakeholders deeply upset, and the news has created a national uproar.
The report listed the Hammers in addition to Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Wolves, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, and Bournemouth.
Six of the aforementioned teams have participated in the Championship in recent years, and some of them are undoubtedly not assured a long-term spot in the top division, so it is highly hypocritical.
This week, the board has been under special fire when Charlie Methven, a co-owner of Charlton Athletic, asserted that the Irons, together with Crystal Palace, are the two front-runners in keeping the transaction afloat.
He stated, “It’s on record that Palace and West Ham are leaders of this King Canute-style movement,” in an interview with Jim White on talkSPORT on March 12. The clubs that they have convinced to support them are not yet publicly known.
Executives from other Premier League clubs are nearly as irritated as we are, if you talk to them. They are aware of this because they have a more comprehensive strategic vision for the public regulator’s future.
Methven responded, “Grow up,” when White questioned him about his message to West Ham and Palace. Recall that the clubs under their leadership, these clubs, were members of the football league not so long ago, and that they ended up in their current seats in a musical chairs game.
“It doesn’t mean their clubs won’t return to the football league at some point.”
Methven’s criticism was warranted, even though The Guardian subsequently on March 12th reported that Charlton had apologized to Hammers vice-chairman Karren Brady after his remarks.
Although many would contend that since it’s our money, we should be free to spend it however we choose, we have the unique opportunity to contribute to the survival and prosperity of the entire pyramid.
It leaves a sour taste in my mouth and is, in my opinion, fairly shameful.
Because we have the greatest football league in the world and we need to preserve it at all costs, this cannot just be about a small group of 20 clubs pushing forward and leaving everyone else behind.
Although we are in the Premier League right now, we have played in the Championship twice in the last 20 years alone, and it could happen again in the future.
The top tier is rife with greed, and instead of the fortunate few concentrating on themselves, it’s time that everyone began considering how the 92 clubs might work together to continue improving our league.