Paul Merson responds to Jeff Stelling West Ham United quizzing live on Sky Sports amid
Paul Merson believes West Ham United would take Premier League survival over a Europa Conference League win because it would save them £200m.
The Hammers are in the Conference League quarter-finals this month but also sit outside of the relegation zone on goal difference alone following a thumping 5-1 loss to Newcastle in midweek.
But while discussing their situation live Sky Sports (7 April, 14:08), Jeff Stelling asked if Moyes would keep his job if West Ham were relegated but won the Europa Conference League, and Merson was adamant in his answer.
“You’re not thinking about that,” he said. “Absolutely zero chance.
“If they win that [Conference League] then they go into Europa but they lose £100-200m.
“They cannot fall out of the league. Fall out of the league then all those players are going.”
Danger
West Ham are in very real danger right now, and it’s like everyone outside of the club can see it but the board can’t.
We may be in 15th place in the table right now, but we’re only outside of the drop zone on goal difference and we have just four more home games this season.
Even those are arguably our toughest games, coming against Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Leeds, so our safety is far from assured.
Our recent performances have given no indication that David Moyes can turn things around, yet our results in Europe seem to be keeping him in a job at this point.
Moyes needs to beat Fulham to save his job according to reports, but more importantly than that is to try and save our Premier League status. We’re in trouble, and winning the Europa Conference League won’t help us.
Merson is right that players will leave regardless, and we will lose a huge chunk of cash. That will make Europa League football impossible to navigate, but worse than that, it’ll make us a Championship side.
That isn’t acceptable.