The saddest sight for me last Tuesday evening – apart from the King Power’s big screen showing ‘Leicester City 3 West Ham United 1 at the end of another shambolic 90+ minutes of football – was a little earlier in the evening a close-up TV shot of a dejected and despondent-looking Jarrod Bowen after yet another lung-bursting run forward had come to nothing!
Bowen looked anything but the chirpy, bubbly player we have come to love. The sagging shoulders and haunted look revealed a player who was suffering as much as we are. A player who appeared to be in a very dark personal place right now.
As West Ham captain it’s clear Bowen more than most felt the weight of responsibility at yet another hapless and ultimately fruitless team performance. The most recent hapless display in a season that began with such great expectancy from a new two-tier regime of Head Coach and Technical Director.
My heart goes out to Jarrod at the moment. We are all suffering under the nightmare reign of Julen Lopetegui. But we at least can rant and rage and make our feelings known. In reality it does little to change a situation which is beyond us to rectify. But as club and team captain Bowen is obliged to keep his true feelings and emotion under wraps.
He’s paid to do a job and such is the nature of the man he would never give anything less than his best. But a player playing with a heavy weight on his shoulders is only half the player who is happy in his work. A player who is settled in his surroundings. Believes and trusts in what he is being asked to do. Right now Jarrod Bowen looks to be none of those things!
It’s well documented Jarrod had an excellent working relationship with previous manager David Moyes. The genuine, heartfelt words of appreciation and admiration he was happy to share when Moyes left the club last summer underlined the fact that theirs was a partnership of mutual respect and understanding.
Jarrod couldn’t thank Moyes enough for taking him to West Ham in the first place and being instrumental in developing his career. “He (Moyes) showed faith to bring me here from Hull – and over the last four years we’ve had some great days and made some great memories,” said Jarrod.
“Scoring 20 goals this season, being Player of the Season, winning England caps – winning a trophy -none of it would have been possible if the gaffer hadn’t brought me here in the first place.” Bowen was clearly in a very different place and a totally different frame of mind just six short months ago.
When Lopetegui arrived at the club one of his first actions was to make Jarrod captain, an honour he was thrilled to take on at the time. Following in the footsteps of Declan Rice, and previously the legend that was Mark Noble.
Bowen was honoured to be Lopetegui’s representative on the pitch – an ambassador for the club – a figure-head for the team. Little could he have imagined how quickly things would turn sour. No-one is laying any blame at Jarrod’s door for how West Ham’s season has turned out. He’s a victim just as much as the rest of us. But such is his nature he is bound to feel a heavy weight of responsibility.
Jarrod hasn’t become a bad player overnight. But he has become a troubled and consequently less effect player, not necessarily because of a dip in his own game but because his team mates as individuals and the team as a whole are floundering badly around him. They look disjointed, disorganised and woefully short of direction and guidance.
Jarrod Bowen is a quiet lad. A humble lad. He simply wants to play his football where he’s happiest. He was clearly very happy under the previous regime – but just as clearly that isn’t the case now. We need to have Jarrod Bowen back to his best. Back to playing the way he was. Back to having us out of our seats just as he did with that unforgettable last minute winner in Prague.
Jarrod loves this club – he’s said so on numerous occasions. He’s not ‘one of our own’ like Nobes was, but he’s an adopted Eastender and has won that same special place in all our hearts. We should all feel for him right now – as I’m sure he feels sorry for us!
The turmoil, both on and off the pitch, is killing him just as much as it’s killing us. I for one can’t wait to see him being back to enjoying his football again. Playing with a bounce in his step and a smile not a grimace on his face.
Sadly for our captain I fear that might not be the case until we see a change of leadership and regime off the field first. The quicker that happens the better it will be for all of us who love this club – players and supporters alike.
* Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.
* Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the highlighted author/s and do not necessarily represent or reflect the official policy or position of KUMB.com.