Sully steps down, Nuno stays and the rebuild starts

Well, it's taken ten days in Italy to try and recover from relegation. Also been touting for West Ham talent in Serie Z with a budget of ten Euros. It was certainly interesting to see the Roman Arena in Verona, which is a little reminiscent of the London Stadium. It's hosted everything from gladiators to opera. No doubt the away fans chanted that the Romans sold their soul for this shithole. Perhaps there were some fans who preferred the old Arena to a corporate bowl, disliked the chariot racing track and wanted Caesar out. 

Sitting on the marble seats and standing in the concourse it's surprising to think how little stadiums have changed in 2000 years, though it's a bit less bloodthirsty these days unless Millwall are playing. Had my fellow season ticket holders Matt and Nigel been around two millennia ago they would have been seeking out obscure arenas for contests between non-league gladiators.

SULLIVAN QUITS

No sooner are we back in Blighty than the news arrives that David Sullivan is stepping down as West Ham chairman to fight "serious historical allegations", which he denies. It's hard to comment further until these allegations are aired on the BBC and in the Times, but in football terms Sullivan going as chairman will be celebrated by most fans. West Ham won a European trophy in 2023 as a positive, but against that must be set two relegations, a £104m loss last year, flip-flopping between contrasting managers and various directors of football, terrible recruitment, allowing David Moyes to go twice, appointing Avram Grant, interfering in transfers, moving the club to a rented stadium that isn't purpose-built for football and allowing the club to be overtaken by Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford, Fulham and Crystal Palace.

Co-owner Daniel Kretinsky already appears to be taking a more active role by insisting that Nuno stays as manager. Continuity is no bad thing even if Nuno has a worrying tendency to tinker, as at Newcastle and when he played Soucek and Irving in central midfield and inverted the full-backs against Brentford and Leeds. Football is a simple game and sometimes playing people in their best positions is better than trying to go all Guardiola. But Nuno proved himself a decent manager at Wolves and Forest and undoubtedly improved the spirit and performances of West Ham in the latter part of the season.

There's a nucleus of promising youngsters that Nuno selected last season in Kante, Mayers, Scarles, Potts, Orford, Earthy and Marshall. Fernandes and Summerville seem certain to go and Wan-Bissaka, Diouf and Castellanos are attracting interest, while Todibo has to go after his fall-out with Nuno. But with Sullivan gone and Kretinsky or a new co-owner in charge could we keep a core of experienced players not least Jarrod Bowen? Retaining Soucek and the Greek Bloke would give us a chance in the Championship and without Sullivan we might even get a more data-driven recruitment department. Let's get some gladiators in. It's certainly never dull at West Ham.