Leeds United have avoided relegation from the Premier League this season, but there could be dire implications for the side who finished 18th, West Ham.
The Whites are already preparing for a second season back in the Premier League after confirming a 14th-place finish this month.
It’s a luxury that cannot be afforded to West Ham. The Irons thumped Leeds 3-0 in the final game of the season, but it wasn’t enough to stop their relegation to the Championship.
“Poor decisions” – Gary Neville stunned by West Ham relegation after quick praise for Leeds United
The difference between Leeds and West Ham ultimately boils down to recruitment and coaching issues throughout the season. Us and Sunderland bridged the gap after promotion incredibly well, and it leaves West Ham joining Wolves as the two sides who make way for us.
Either way on the final day, a sizeable Premier League club was finishing 18th. Spurs escaped by the skin of their teeth, but Gary Neville thinks it’s quite shocking how the Irons have fallen away.
“What Sunderland and Leeds have done is really important,” he said on the Gary Neville podcast. “But for West Ham, we’ve seen Aston Villa, Newcastle, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday – these are stalwarts of the old Division One, that it’s inconceivable that they wouldn’t be in the Premier League.
“West Ham are one of those clubs, there’s about eight clubs that I think are okay, but the rest are all susceptible (to relegation) at some point. They may not recruit as well, they may just not do it as well as they have done.
“For West Ham, they’re always susceptible to some poor decisions and they’ve gone down this year. They’re a huge football club.”
Leeds United can’t rest on our survival and relax – 49ers must kick on this summer
Leeds and Sunderland both have proven that the gap isn’t too big to the Premier League. So, now that the shoe is on the other foot, we have to make sure that the gap is definitely too big to ourselves.
That means getting recruitment right and ensuring that Daniel Farke is aligned with what the club wants to build during the summer window.
Neville highlights why that’s especially pertinent right now too. He outlines how there are so many examples of previously strong clubs falling from grace out of the Premier League, Leeds are one of those. Now that we’re looking to consolidate, we cannot afford to let our strong position slip again.
The 49ers’ messaging suggests that won’t be the case.
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