WHEN West Ham’s stars and supporters sit down for their celebration dinner at the O2 this evening, there will be rather less optimism in the air than many expected.
Fans have paid £390 a head for the plush dinner with players, coaches and executives to toast their Europa Conference League triumph.
Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse is one of the Prem midfielders desperately targeted by West Ham as they look to replace Declan RiceRex
Fulham rejected the Hammers’ overtures for Portugal anchorman Joao PalhinhaRex
Chelsea turned down West Ham’s bid for seven-cap Englishman Conor GallagherGetty
It has not even been two months since the Hammers lifted the European trophy in Prague but momentum has been lost amid a chaotic summer.
Everyone knew that final would be Declan Rice’s last game for the club ahead of his £105million move to Arsenal.
Co-owner David Sullivan even admitted it the next day and club insiders had been expecting his departure for almost a YEAR.
But few seem to have planned for it.
With just over a week to go until the start of the new season, West Ham are without new signings and have seen a number of efforts to bring in midfielders fall flat.
Having decided to back boss David Moyes and keep him on following the Euro triumph over Fiorentina, the Scot is in danger of being undermined by a lack of strategy from above.
A rocky start and calls for the 60-year-old to go will quickly return.
It does not help that Moyes is famous for wanting to keep close tabs on all recruitment decisions — meaning he and new director of football Tim Steidten have not got off to the best start.
The German was brought in after pressure from billionaire Daniel Kretinsky — who with 27 per cent of the club is the second biggest shareholder behind Sullivan — to help bring some alignment to the football operation at the London Stadium.
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Steidten, 44, is leaning towards young targets from abroad who could provide more value, while Moyes wants proven Premier League players following the likes of Gianluca Scamacca, 24, struggling last season.
Many fans want Moyes to look further afield but he is always one to stick to his principles — and not without reason.
The ex-Everton chief has a track record of signing and improving top players suited to Prem football.
It was not long ago he was being hailed for having a Midas touch in the market with additions like winger Jarrod Bowen, midfielder Tomas Soucek and defender Vladimir Coufal.
West Ham have also lost a key figure from their recruitment team, with Jordan Miles taking up a new role at Aberdeen.
There has also been change in Moyes’ coaching staff, with Mark Warburton and Paul Nevin both departing without yet being replaced.
But the pressing issues are on the pitch.
It was an open secret 24-year-old Rice wanted to leave this summer and most people knew it would take more than one player to replace the club captain.
Yet the approach so far, with bids rejected for Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher, 23, Joao Palhinha, 28, of Fulham and Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse, 28, has been scattergun.
Of course, clubs know the Hammers now have a healthy bank balance and will be hiking up asking prices as a result, so it is on them to find good value as they have done in the past.
But a more coherent plan, like lining up deals and targets before Rice had gone, would have been the most prudent thing.
Now, they are lagging behind and playing games with clubs and targets to try to get deals over the line when time is running out.
Having made the progressive approach of bringing in Steidten, recent weeks have felt like two steps back.
There should have been huge excitement about the season ahead in Stratford.
West Ham have won a trophy again, they are back in the Europa League once more and have a strong track record abroad, having reached the semi-finals of the tournament two years ago.
But a stuttering summer ahead of what looks a difficult start with early games against Chelsea, Brighton, champions Manchester City and Liverpool is threatening to dampen spirits.
Sullivan is known for getting deals done and must move quickly to secure the support Moyes needs, otherwise the commendable backing from the board at the end of last season will go to waste.
West Ham’s new director of football Tim Steidten would prefer to bring in cheaper young talents from overseasPA
Hammers’ manager David Moyes wants to bring in proven Prem experienceGetty
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