SPENT FORCE

I fear for Hammers if relegated with wasted millions, but Canaries will fly

WEST HAM face financial ruin if they are relegated – but Norwich will thrive back in the Championship

That’s the claim of Hammers and Canaries legend Dean Ashton.

West Ham have spent lavishly in recent seasons. Sebastien Haller was a £45million arrival from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer, along with £24m Spain international Pablo Fornals from Villarreal.

The duo joined Felipe Anderson and Issa Diop, who cost £36m and £22m respectively in 2018.

Improvement

But having expensively assembled a star-studded squad, Manuel Pellegrini was sent packing in December after a dismal run of form.

David Moyes was drafted in for his second stint at the club, following a short tenure in the London Stadium hotseat before the Chilean.

Despite an improvement in performances, the east Londoners were only outside the relegation zone on goal difference when the season was paused due to the pandemic.

Ashton has warned that West Ham face dire consequences if Moyes doesn’t keep the club in the top flight.

He said: “When you see back-to-back relegations – as we’ve seen with Norwich before and with Sunderland recently – it’s generally because of poor financial planning.

“It would be absolutely devastating for West Ham if they’re relegated this season, there’s no doubt about that.

“They have spent quite a bit of money and financially they would be in a difficult position. If they don’t start well, as soon as football is back, they will be in big trouble.

“Nobody expected this at the start of the season. It looked like they’d be pushing for the top seven. But at West Ham they just seem to sign players that are available, rather than having a plan and a specific way of playing. It’s such a mismatch.

“Some players are carrying injuries, others are coming to the end of their careers and even the youngsters don’t necessarily blend in.

“When I look at West Ham I have no idea what style of football they are trying to play. It seems to change with each game.

“That’s the big worry. Players need to have a certain idea of what’s expected and I haven’t seen West Ham with a clear identity for well over a decade.

“The next step for them is to find a manager who can really build something over the next four or five years.

“But, for the moment, Moyes has lots of experience and I would still back him to keep them up.”

Norwich though are rock-bottom and six points adrift, with just nine games left to play.

Having been promoted from the Championship 12 months ago, an immediate return to the second tier looks on the cards.

Philosophy

But Ashton reckons Daniel Farke’s side are in good shape.

“After the last time they were relegated from the Premier League, it hit them hard because they’d handed out long contracts on big wages,” he said.

“But with Stuart Webber coming in as sporting director in 2017, he was tasked with changing the club’s mentality and philosophy.

“It was about more than just getting to the Premier League, it was about developing the youth system and playing a certain way that is sustainable long term. Norwich will be well-equipped for life in the Championship and they don’t have to sell players.

“The feelgood factor around the club won’t disappear.

“They have played some great football and you could say they are the best footballing side to ever be relegated from the

Premier League.”