OPINION
West Ham have done nothing but show ambition in recent seasons and yet it seems Andy Gray has opted to overlook them.
The former Everton player shared his concern about how some Premier League clubs have no aspirations of getting into the top-six by claiming there was about 14 sides who thought they had no chance of finishing that high in the league.
While Gray then lowered that number to 12 or 13 teams, he suggested Everton were the team who were the exception and made no mention of the Hammers.
“These teams go into the league every year Richard (Keys) not expecting to get in the top-six, there’s about 14 clubs there, maybe Everton are the exception, well there’s about 12 or 13 teams there with no aspirations of getting in the top-six as they think it’s impossible, they think it’s a close shop,” said Gray on beINSPORTS, as seen in a clip on their Twitter account.
Based on the amount of teams Gray seemed to be concerned about, it seems likely that the Hammers were in the group of clubs he was referring to.
This is ridiculous and Hammers chiefs should be up in arms over their aspirations for the club being questioned.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side may only sit 11th in the Premier League currently, but the board have done all they can to laid down the foundation for the Hammers to become a top-six club sooner or later.
Not only did the current board oversee the controversial move to the London Stadium, which sees the Hammers play in a ground worthy of a top-six side, they’ve also spent big in the transfer market.
West Ham spent nearly a £100million on new players in the summer (Source: The Telegraph) and signed high-profile players such as Felipe Anderson, Jack Wilshere and Andriy Yarmolenko.
Of course it takes time to close the gap on the top-six as Pellegrini, who was appointed at the start of the season, and his new squad needed time to settle into life at the London Stadium.
However the fact of the matter is the West Ham board are clearly trying to break into the Premier League’s top-six and they should be up in arms over Gray’s suggestion that they’re not.