Former West Ham United manager Alan Pardew knows from experience just how difficult it can be to bounce back from relegation out of the Premier League. A scenario now staring Tottenham Hotspur in the face.
Pardew would lose the play-off final to Crystal Palace a year after taking over from Glenn Roeder, before taking the Hammers back to the big time at the second attempt in 2005.
Jermain Defoe infamously handed in a transfer request before leaving West Ham United for arch rivals Tottenham midway through Pardew’s first campaign at Upton Park.
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Mind the gap, Tottenham Hotspur 😂
Joe Cole made that emotional switch to Chelsea alongside Glen Johnson. Trevor Sinclair, David James, Paolo di Canio and Frederic Kanoute left in 2003, followed by Michael Carrick in 2004.
Alan Pardew predicts a Tottenham firesale if West Ham United survive at Spurs’ expense
Speaking on talkSPORT after West Ham thrashed Wolves on Friday night, dumping Spurs into the relegation zone at their expense, Pardew believes that a North London exodus would be the inevitable by-product of arguably the most shocking relegation of the 21st century.
“The one thing that relegation does is create a huge chasm in your finances, and the playing staff will definitely turn around,” says Pardew. “There’s no doubt about that.
“I experienced that when I inherited West Ham. We had Jermain Defoe, David James, Michael Carrick… all [players] who were going to move on eventually, which they did because they were obviously Premier League players.
“So, you do get a big turnaround.
“I still think for the long run of a club the size of Tottenham, it would be catastrophic to go down. You’ve really got to stay in this division.”
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After posting annual losses of £104 million in February, West Ham made it clear that player sales would be needed in the event of relegation. It has been suggested that Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summervile would be sold, alongside the likes of Mateus Fernandes and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
If Tottenham finish 18th instead, however, well, it may be quicker listing the players who would actually want to stick around in the Championship. Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro are all internationals, while the likes of Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons cost in excess of £60 million.
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Pardew thinks Nottingham Forest will go down instead
Still, Pardew feels that both Tottenham and West Ham will be renewing acquaintances in the big time next season.
“I’ve gone Burnley, Wolves, and Nottingham Forest,” Pardew predicts, arguing that Forest’s ongoing Europa League commitments may put an unhelpful strain on Vitor Pereira’s squad ahead of trips to Sunderland, Chelsea and Manchester United.
“I just think that European thing and the run-in makes it a little bit trickier for them. And if it isn’t them, it’ll be Spurs in my opinion. I don’t think it’ll be West Ham, I just can’t see it. And I don’t think it’ll be Leeds either. I think their home form will see them home.
“So, I think Leeds and West Ham will get out, and I think it’s out of Forest and Spurs personally.”