An All White Lining?

Relegation is probably the worst thing that can happen to any European football team. The three teams relegated from the English Premiership each year have to undergo massive change to adapt to the shock. No longer are the trips to the glamour stadiums like Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge, the millions watching on television around the world, and all the associated riches. Star players must be off-loaded to cut costs, and promotion sought after immediately to avoid potential financial peril.

I believe it impacts on individual players differently; as mentioned, star players can find new clubs in the Premiership; older players sink down a division, never to be heard of again, and younger players are suddenly faced with the fact they are going to be playing Millwall and Barnsley instead of Arsenal or Manchester United.

So maybe it is a strange thing when I think relegation could be a positive thing for Winston Reid, New Zealand’s young defender at West Ham United. West Ham are currently in the bottom three of the Premier League, with thirteen games left to play. To suggest they are going down is premature; there is however a reasonable chance it will happen.

Reid arrived to reasonable fanfare after the World Cup, where he was a star performer for the All Whites playing alongside Ryan Nelsen. After his transfer, he started West Ham’s first game of the season, a 3-0 loss to Aston Villa, and then came on in as a substitute in the following match. Since then however, he has only appeared twice in the Premier League (including an hour this morning at Blackpool), while his other appearances have come in West Ham’s cup ties. Time is on his side; he is young, but it is only natural for him to want to play games. If he approaches it right, a season in the Championship could really benefit him.

West Ham spent reasonable money on him (somewhere around GBP4 million) and he has a three year contract. It’s unlikely they’ll let him leave for nothing. However no other Premier League teams are likely to be interested in him, having barely played consistently at that level. So if the Hammers are relegated chances are he will remain at the club. Many of his fellow defenders, on the other hand, will not be there. Here is the situation with the top defenders at the club:
• Danny Gabbidon was been linked to both Rangers and Celtic in January. He was the man Reid replaced this morning when he went off injured.
• Wayne Bridge is only on loan for the rest of the season, and will definitely leave if they get relegated.
• Matthew Upson’s contract expires at the end of the season, and will have a number of Premier League clubs after him as he will be a free transfer.
• James Tomkins looks slightly more set to stay, though there have been some rumours this season of interest from both Tottenham and Chelsea.
• Manuel Da Costa has recently been charged with assault following an incident in a London nightclub.

It wouldn’t take too many of these guys to leave (or be sent to jail...) before all of a sudden Reid is one of only a few defenders at the club. And in a Championship environment, the West Ham management will be more inclined to give him opportunities, and develop a rapport at the back. Of course, for it to fully benefit him, West Ham then gets promoted, with Reid a mainstay. This way, Reid develops immensely as a footballer, and in the end gets the Holy Grail – a starting spot in an English Premier League team.