Sebastien Schemmel Exclusive: West Ham to stay up, Tottenham down to the Championship. Bowen may leave, Moyes sacking the end

Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone

Former West Ham Sebastien Schemmel spoke exclusively to Capital Football. 

At Upton Park between January 2001 and June 2003, right-back Schemmel was part of a star-studded Hammers team that included the likes of Defoe, Di Canio, Carrick and Repka to name but a few. But despite the ridiculous talent, it was a team that was relegated all the same.

In his first full season in east London, the club finished 7th before dropping down from the Premier League only 12 months later.

We’ve asked him what he makes of the current squad, their relegation fears and we also touched on a number of players such as the new recruits Pablo, Taty, Disasi and... talisman Bowen who may well be on his way come what may this summer according to Schemmel. Last but not least, the Frenchman feels that David Moyes' exit was "the beginning of the end" for the club, adding that the Scotsman deserves a statue outside London Stadium for his contributions.

On whether he sees any parallels between the West Ham side that went down 23 years ago and this one:

“West Ham are the club of my heart and I hope they can stay up. A club like West Ham should never be wired in the bottom-three in the first place. If I look at the fans, the stadium, their infrastructures… it’s inconceivable that they are where they are. There has to be a deeper-rooted issue which has set this in motion and the fact they’ve had three different managers this year epitomised it! I also think they are over-reliant on Bowen while Summerville’s injury has not made it any easier. Besides, it’s anything but easy to play for a club with such demanding supporters like West Ham’s, who accept nothing less than 100 per cent. For a player it's an honour to represent West Ham but the pressure cannot be underestimated. And there are protests against the ownership all the time! Each time I go to a game, fans are holding up red cards as they are to critical of how the club is run. Many are also not happy to have left Upton Park for London Stadium. The pressure is permanent at West Ham and the non-results show.”

What do you make of Nuno Espírito Santo? Results probably don’t match the performances which have drastically picked up in the last couple of months…

“I think he’s a magnificent manager and under him West Ham have completely changed their style. At the moment the team is playing well. Yet as I said West Ham depend way too much on Bowen. If he struggles, it spreads through the team. The last time I went there against Manchester City I saw a cohesion in the team and that day I told myself 'only clubs like West Ham can stop powerhouses like Manchester City'. Thanks to the improving atmosphere it’s quite hard for anyone to go and win at London Stadium. I have faith in West Ham… but Friday’s game against Wolves will be the game of the year. If we win that one we’ll get out of the relegation zone while we’re waiting to see what Tottenham do at Sunderland. For Tottenham to find themselves in the relegation places ahead of their kick-off, that changes the whole picture mentally. I am quite sure that West Ham have what it takes to get out of it. One thing has just crossed my mind…”

Go on.

“They have made the same mistakes which we made all those years ago (2002/03). Only three seasons ago West Ham won the Conference League while now they are on the cusp of relegation. But if we take their infrastructures and finances into account, West Ham are a Top 8 or Top 9team in the Premier League. This is one of the 20 most important clubs in Europe. I really hope the team can pull itself out of the mire.” 

The January arrivals of Pablo, Taty and Disasi have proved key so far. Yet West Ham still haven’t found a way of turning those narrow defeats into draws and those hard-fought spoils into wins… what do they need to do to get over the line in that regard?

“You need luck sometimes… West Ham create lots of chances in each game and hit the woodwork quite often as well. Yet injuries and Bowen’s loss of form do not help. However, Taty and Pablo have pulled their weight so far even without scoring much. The fans love players who are up for a fight… and these two always put their noses to the grindstone. That said, I couldn’t get my head around the fact that Disasi wasn’t playing at Chelsea. When West Ham signed him I said to myself: ‘Hallelujah, this is a savvy signing’! He’s a real baller… but if a manager doesn’t like you (Maresca) he will ditch you and you’re toast. Nuno has revived his career and I hope West Ham sign him permanently. He’s an imposing defender who leads the defence and in the last game he even scored. These are the players we should keep hold of.”

Will Bowen stay if West Ham go down?

“He’s around 28-29 years old and I think he’ll be in-demand this summer and we cannot tie him to the gates. If you ask me, I think Jarrod will light up the upcoming transfer session. That said, you can’t stop a player like that from having a look elsewhere. West Ham are a conveyor belt of talent and even though Bowen didn’t come through the West Ham academy he’s part of the new wave of stars at the club who won the European cup along with Declan Rice. In the past the Hammers produced players like Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand. But the club has always developed talent (for other clubs). After everything Jarrod has given to the club, he should by no means be denied the chance to play for an even bigger club like West Ham. Mind you, for me there are not many clubs around that are bigger than West Ham… but after everything he’s given the club he should get his chance. Supporters won’t be happy because they adopted him as one of their own. But it wasn’t any different when Declan Rice quit. We have no choice but to let these players go... “

Letting Moyes go just because he didn’t play the ‘West Ham way’… a cardinal sin and the reason the club’s gone downhill since Prague 2023?

“The biggest mistake was letting Moyes go. What he achieved at the club was incredible. He finished 8th or so and the fans we not impressed (Schemmel rolls his eyes). After winning the Conference League the fans expected to qualify for the Champions League… BUT THAT TAKES TIME! Yet ever since he left the club have embarked on a never-ending downward trajectory. We’ve had great managers like Pellegrini, Lopetegui, Potter… people who tasted success at big clubs. But Moyes’ glorious achievements cannot be sniffed at. He turned an average side into European winners… and hat off to him for that. They won all the games while the final was the reference. He should have been given more credit…but the boardroom wanted to build on that success and didn’t afford him enough time. I believe Moyes deserves a statue…after everything he did! To win a European trophy with a mediocre side speaks volumes. Apart from Rice nobody of that team had any enticing offers from bigger clubs. Nobody knew the likes of Fornals for example but look what Moyes did with him! Then there was Antonio… a machine and someone who worked his socks off! I think he deserved a good contract after his car crash and should not have been let go. Yet football has a short memory...”

So Moyes’ departure is the real reason why West Ham are in decline?

“It was the beginning of the end and it triggered what we see today: the countless managers, innumerable changes, all those different mentalities…

First a Spaniard, then an Englishman, now a Portuguese… it’s simply too big a change for the club to endure in such a short time. Yet look at what Moyes did with Everton, turning a club in ruins into a well-playing team. Everton are such an incredible watch and it’s all thanks to Moyes. He shouldn’t have been let go… that was a blow.”

When all is said and done will the Hammers stay up?

“As a neutral fan, I’d tip Tottenham to go down. The pressure on them is huge and it derives from their own supporters. But I am West Ham through and through and I couldn’t care less what they do… (laughs). I’d never have done what Kudus, Carrick, Parker, Defoe did. I’d never have joined Tottenham. West Ham is home and I even called my restaurant Upton Park. I am sure West Ham will stay up even if it won’t be easy. The games against Wolves and Leeds will be key. I hope the fans will help by recreating the Upton Park atmosphere… which was intimidating even for us West Ham players at the time! There were no draws, just wins or defeats.”