The new co-owner of West Ham United, Daniel Křetínský, does not intend to spend frantically in London for reinforcements. The Czech billionaire confirmed this in his column in the Evening Standard evening paper and thus indirectly reacted to the recent statement of the team manager David Moyes and the concerns of some fans.
“I believe we will spend wisely and efficiently. This club spent a few years back on the player’s fortune and it didn’t work. Especially not to go crazy and do something we would regret,” said David Moyes after Křetínský came to the club’s ownership structure.
The Czech businessman agrees and clearly declares that the transfer policy will definitely not get out of hand.
According to him, West Ham will continue with a moderate and thoughtful addition to the staff, which has become one of the key changes leading to the subsequent rise of the Hammers since the beginning of David Moyes’ work two years ago.
“We have come to support the club, which does not mean huge losses in the January transfer window. I am impressed by the work of David Moyes and his team. This gradual development is the healthiest way to build a strong club on solid foundations, with the right attitudes and culture,” he said. Křetínský.
The 46-year-old billionaire mentioned his negative experience with Prague’s Sparta, which he has owned with the J&T Group and other shareholders since 2004, and indicated that he was determined to learn from mistakes.
“In Sparta, we tried to accelerate the natural development a few years ago and it did not turn out well,” Křetínský recalled the unfortunate era of Sparta’s internationalization led by Italian coach Andrey Stramaccioni, when the club brought fifteen foreign reinforcements worth hundreds of millions of crowns in a short time. The ambitious project ended in failure.
“Improving the quality of the staff is great, of course, but we prefer a step-by-step approach that preserves and protects the club’s ethos and values, including team spirit,” Křetínský said.
A week ago, Moyes himself came up with concrete initial investment ideas. He would prefer to improve the background before spending on the transfer market.
“There are things that come to mind that are more important to me. New seats in the stadium, an effort for more visitors. Maybe new equipment in the training center,” he said, believing that the club’s owners would listen to his opinion.
“Of course I won’t tell them what to do, on the other hand, I think I’m getting to the stage where they can listen to my opinion and my thoughts. I’m sure they will,” Moyes said.
He praised the short five-minute meeting with Křetínský. “It was nice, I know he’s a football lover. From what I’ve understood, he looks like he’s going to want to do the right thing,” added the Hammer Coach.
Křetínský currently owns 27 percent of West Ham’s shares with 1890s holdings, but in the future he could and would like to become the majority owner. The British newspaper The Guardian on Friday confirmed the existence of an option in the contract.
The daily wrote that Křetínský could buy the remaining shares of the majority owners David Sullivan and David Gold for an amount that is fixed in the documents entered in the Commercial Register. The option is limited in time. Potential sales could take place in 2023.
In Evening Standard, Křetínský paid tribute to the Hammers fan base, calling it one of the reasons why he wanted to become part of the club.
“West Ham fans are among the most passionate and informed in the world. I understand that moving to London Stadium has been difficult for some, but the atmosphere is incredible. I had a chance to experience it at Leicester and Liverpool, both days were unforgettable for me,” he wrote. and thanked the supporters for their warm welcome.
West Ham with three Czechs – Tomáš Souček, Vladimír Coufal and Alex Král – is currently fourth in the English Premier League table, but on Sunday afternoon he will face a difficult match on the Manchester City championship pitch. The duel is broadcast by Premier Sport 1 and the daily Aktuálně.cz will offer a detailed online report from it.
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