West Ham have managed the impossible by angering the most fun-loving character in all of football as Peter Crouch says something they have done just “doesn’t sit well” with him.
Peter Crouch is something of a national treasure among football fans.
The giant former striker managed to achieve something rare by being universally liked pretty much everywhere he went.
Now West Ham have managed something just as rare by upsetting the jovial pundit who never takes football matters, or himself, too seriously.
Crouch was on air for TNT Sports after West Ham announced they had sacked Graham Potter.
Potter out and Nuno in at West Ham
The English coach has been under mounting pressure after just six wins from 25 games since taking over the Hammers in January.
Speculation has been rife that Nuno Espirito Santo would replace Potter at West Ham.
Hammers News exclusively revealed Nuno’s talks with Karren Brady back on September 19.
Nuno was also spotted near Sullivan’s Essex mansion after those talks.
But when he wasn’t sacked after the 2-1 defeat to Palace, during which West Ham fans fully turned on Potter, many expected him to be given a stay of execution – at least until after the Everton game on Monday night.
Potter had even taken his pre-match press conference for the daunting trip to Everton as normal on Friday.
Less than 24 hours later, the Hammers have wielded the axe.
Hammers News has revealed the two reasons West Ham have sacked Potter so abruptly.
Crouch: West Ham have done something that ‘doesn’t sit well’
That doesn’t make the way it has been handled right or just of course.
West Ham fans are protesting against their owners at the moment and this will only add further fuel to the fire.
The Hammers board was criticised for the way the exits of David Moyes and Julen Lopetegui were handled too.
The optics of the latest manager to bite the dust don’t look good either.
Delaying sacking Potter, letting him take a press conference and then relieving him of his duties 48 hours out from a big game smacks of chaos behind the scenes.
Now Crouch says West Ham have done something that just ‘doesn’t sit well’ with him.
The former striker has made his feelings clear as pressure continues to mount on the Hammers’ hierarchy.
Crouch has suggested David Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board have showed a distinct lack of class in how Potter’s sacking has been handled.
The ex England man admits Potter had it coming but questions the way West Ham have gone about things.
“Listen, you don’t like to see it, but the writing was on the wall,” Crouch said on TNT Sports.
“It was no secret they were interviewing people.
Crouch slams West Ham board over handling of Potter sacking
“Nuno seems to be the man they’re looking at, the disappointing thing is that was no secret.
“That doesn’t sit well with me.
“I’m not saying he was doing a great job and he deserved to stay, but the way the club have gone about it wasn’t good for anyone.”
You know something must be bad if Crouch finds it distasteful.
It certainly isn’t good for the owners in the eyes of the club’s biggest fan group.
Hammers United are calling on supporters not to fall for the board’s latest short-term fix.
Now it is over to Nuno Espirito Santo to try and push the Hammers up the table and restore some pride in the team even if there is a lack of it in the ownership.
