Stuart Pearce shared that West Ham had to unite as a club after revealing he thinks fans easily turn against their side.
The 56-year-old sent the message to Hammers supporters while highlighting the problems Manuel Pellegrini currently faces as manager of the London side.
Pearce shared that when he was a member of the club’s coaching staff last season, David Moyes often didn’t have a senior player to leave in the stands due to an injury crisis and that Pellegrini has also been dealt a blow due to injuries.
“They’ve had a stinker of a first game of the season, Liverpool away, you couldn’t wish for a worse one,” said Pearce, on Sky Sports’ The Debate, seen in a clip uploaded to the broadcaster’s official Twitter account.
“They’ve spent £100million on nine players so obviously a lot of players have got to fit in and I think he’s still learning about his team, about the new players that have come through the door, the squad of players he has got at this moment and best formations.
“It probably took us a while when we came in the door to suggest certain players can’t play in the back four, gotta put bodies around certain players as there is lack of pace in there so you have to cover them up a lot of bit.
“The seven months I was at West Ham we never left senior players in the stands because we didn’t have one fit, first time we did that was James Collins on the 5th of May which is quite incredible.
“And Manuel has gone into this season, Lanzini is out for the season, international injury, Andy Carroll three months out through injury and Winston Reid so three players straight away out and he’s got to incorporate nine new faces, Liverpool away puts you on the back foot as you take a hiding then you’re at home.
“Y’know what it is like, it doesn’t take much for the West Ham fans to turn a little bit and leave the stadium so he’s right what he is saying, we need to unite as a football club.”
OPINION
It seems Pearce has inadvertently delivered a message to Hammers supporters by saying the club need to be united after agreeing with Pellegrini’s comments about fans leaving early. Pellegrini following the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth asked for fans to “trust”, as quoted by BBC Sport, the club and questioned some supporters’ decision to leave early despite the side only being a goal behind with 10 minutes to go. While some fans may have walked out for a variety of different reasons, not necessarily as a show of disrespect or unhappiness, Pearce and Pellegrini are right to call for unity. As Pearce points out Pellegrini already has several problems plaguing him at the Hammers given the amount of new recruits and injuries he has to contend with so as it stands the last thing he needs to do is contend with dismayed supporters as well. While the loss to the Cherries was disappointing as the Hammers had taken the lead in the game, Pellegrini needs support and time to bring the good times back to the London Stadium. The experienced manager’s track record speaks for itself and should buy him some time to get his squad in order.
