Jarrod Bowen has aimed a new thinly veiled dig at former West Ham boss Graham Potter when speaking about a teammate who has been left unhappy this season.
The captain’s comments come in the wake of Michail Antonio’s stinging criticism of the sacked Hammers boss, who has since taken up an interim post as Sweden manager.
West Ham’s 3-1 win against Newcastle United was notable for so many reasons.
It was the Hammers’ first win at the London Stadium since February.
A child can be conceived and born in the time between West Ham’s victory over relegated Leicester and Sunday’s crucial victory over the Magpies.
While West Ham’s problems existed before Graham Potter took the job in January, the mild-mannered and meek Englishman did little to solve any of them.
Bowen’s fresh dig at Potter over West Ham star he left unhappy
In fact Antonio, who he chose to release after 10 years with the club, went on record at the weekend to state that he actually made the issues worse.
Brutal Antonio slammed Potter for ruining West Ham’s culture during his spell in east London.
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The most encouraging thing under Nuno Espirito Santo so far is that he is making clear strides to rediscover it in a start more reminiscent of David Moyes than Potter or Julen Lopetegui.
While Nuno took leave of his senses for the two defeats against Brentford and Leeds, performances against Everton, Arsenal and now Newcastle have been promising.
The win over Eddie Howe’s side was hands down West Ham’s most complete performance for the best part of two years.
West Ham United players celebrate after scoring against Newcastle United in the Premier League
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
And it shows Nuno is a far superior calibre of coach than Potter, who was sacked as officially the worst permanent West Ham manager in history.
After he was axed, a journalist named players Potter fell out with during his time at West Ham.
The leak from Potter’s camp also revealed he questioned the leadership of talisman Jarrod Bowen.
Sources close to Potter revealed he had serious concerns over ‘Bowen’s inability to captain the team’.
Potter reportedly acknowledged Bowen was the club’s best player but did not feel he naturally suited the captaincy role.
It was a particularly low blow, especially given the Hammers skipper fronted Potter’s disastrous reign on a weekly basis for the cameras.
Hammers skipper Bowen sends cutting Potts message to Potter
It was notable that Bowen did not acknowledge Potter on social media when he was sacked, as he had done with Lopetegui and Moyes previously.
Bowen then hit back at Potter with his celebration in Nuno’s first West Ham game after he scored the equaliser up at Everton.
Now Bowen has aimed a new dig at Potter over a West Ham star he left unhappy.
The way Potter treated emerging Hammers midfield star Freddie Potts was a big stain on his time at the club.
When Potter arrived at West Ham in January, he declared he would be looking to use players from the club’s famed Academy before making signings.
It was music to the ears of everyone involved in the youth system and most fans too given how proud they are of the club’s Academy of Football roots.
Freddie Potts was the man of the match for West Ham on his first Premier League start against Newcastle
Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Midfield was the single biggest issue at West Ham for some time and Potter hinted Potts would be key to his plans, especially after he signed a new four-year deal at the end of last season.
Potts declared he wanted to compete for a starting spot at West Ham following his successful loan at Portsmouth.
Potter then started him throughout pre-season, where the midfielder – who bears similarities to both Declan Rice and Mark Noble – impressed.
But when the new season rolled around, Potter ditched Potts and barely used him, preferring the likes of even Guido Rodriguez ahead of him instead.
When Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa were added late in the window, it looked like Potts had been sold a pup and may have to leave again.
Nuno instantly believed in the homegrown Hammer, though. He was key to West Ham getting a point at Everton.
Potter was then finally handed his first Premier League start for the Hammers in the win over Newcastle.
Bowen: Potts should have had more opportunities
He was man of the match and had a goal chalked off for the narrowest of offsides.
Newcastle fans led the praise of West Ham star Potts for making their powerful midfield look “rubbish”.
Potts’ performance and numbers from his full debut made embarrassing viewing for Potter.
And Bowen was keen to make that point clear when he was interviewed alongside the young midfielder.
The Hammers skipper made it clear everyone thinks Potts deserved more game time under the previous manager, adding that he had not been happy at his lack of chances.
“Yea (what a performance) and he deserves every minute of it,” Bowen told West Ham TV.
“I just spoke in there (the dressing room) and said he deserves all the praise that’s going to come his way, he deserves every single minute of it.
“Because you know he probably feels like he should have had more opportunities this season.
“And that’s normal when you train the way he does and you apply yourself the way he does and the opportunities that he has had this season, he has taken.
“So for him to get the start today (is fully deserved), the only disappointment was the goal got disallowed. I was really hoping that goal would have stood. But apart from that I really can’t speak highly enough of him.
“A really good person, really wants to work well. To have him as a teammate and see him get the opportunity and take it, like I said he deserves everything that’s going to come his way tonight.”
Not only has Bowen scalded Potter over his misuse of Potts here, he has also shown he is twice the leader the sacked Hammers boss ever was.