OPINION
West Ham fans would love Rio Ferdinand if he owned the club based on his recent remarks as he simply understands what is expected of a football owner.
The BT Sports pundit and former Hammers defender also clearly understands the expectations of the London-based Premier League side and his suggestions prove he would have the perfect stance when it came to the club’s future.
Ferdinand was asked about supporters’ need to see entertaining football at the London Stadium, in particular see what is perceived as the West Ham way to be played by the club’s first-team, and issued a response that suggested he would ensure his manager followed his wishes.
“If you own a football club, you run a football club, you tell the manager what you want,” said Ferdinand in an interview with talkSPORT’s Ian Abrahams, uploaded to SoundCloud.
“You bring a manager in who can do what you want, what’s your philosophy, how you run the club, this is the way West Ham want to be seen, the ideal picture, ideal way, and I think club’s nowadays have the power to dictate to a manager.”
“West Ham is a Premier League club, a desirable job, I’d be dictating to that manager telling him this is what happens, this is how I want it to be run, this philosophy.
“I want some young players in that first-team over the next two years simple as that.”
While Ferdinand’s only direct hypothetical suggestion is making his wish that young players were guaranteed opportunities within a realistic time frame for his manager, his response to having the West Ham way played is equally as promising.
Hammers supporters would love guarantees that entertaining football would be prioritise, while equally seeing the club successfully use the promising talent found in its academy.
Ferdinand clearly feels the same way, probably due to the fact, he rose through the club’s youth-system all the way to its first-team and his reveal that he ensures a manager saw out his vision, makes him sound like the dream owner.
While the idea of Ferdinand ever owning the Hammers is just that, an idea, hopefully current co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan are listening to what the former West Ham defender is saying, as he is mapping out the perfect way to run the club with his remarks.
