Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterWest Ham have got their Championship campaign underway as the Hammers look to bounce back from last seasons dire relegation campaign.Nuno Espirito Santos side finished the season in 18th place to end a 14-year stay in the top flight, a period which saw them regularly oscillate between European pushes and survival battles.Throughout this time, West Ham have been heavy spenders in the transfer market, but according to one former Hammers star, their recruitment has lacked the foresight and planning to build a balanced squad.Tony Gale on West Hams transfer policiesEx-West Ham favourite Tony Gale believes that the constant turnover of directors of football and other key transfer figures has meant cohesiveness has been lacking, leading to the club falling behind one of their rivals from across London.Fulhams buying strategy has been far and away the better of the two, Gale tells FourFourTwo. It's designed to build a more balanced squad, with a good sell-on value for players. You may like West Ham will be everyones cup final in the Championship. Even little Lincoln will fill the away section at the London Stadium Tony Gale on what relegation means for his old side Exclusive: Tony Gale explains why West Ham struggle with the 'smell' of the London Stadium First major West Ham United exit after relegation revealed as summer rebuild stalls: report This has seen the Cottagers establish themselves as a mid-table Premier League side following their 2022 promotion from the Championship, with finishes of 10th, 13th, 11th and 11th over the past four seasons.An effective transfer model, where the ability to develop players so that their sell-on value increases alongside their effectiveness on the pitch is vital in the current financial climate, but for Gale, this is not something West Ham have been able to replicate.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.West Ham seem to have been more reactive than proactive in the transfer market, taking action when a weakness is exposed, he bemoans.Central to his problem has been the revolving door of decision-makers behind the scenes.Then theres been the constant changing of directors of football and the people recruiting, he adds, before raising the basic issues that this problem brings on.Whos been doing the buying? An agent comes on the phone and sells you his player. Well, every agent is going to do that.Gales ultimate conclusion here is one of another former Hammers favourite.What was it Harry Redknapp said? Theyll have your trousers down.TOPICSWest Ham UnitedChampionshipJoe MewisSocial Links NavigationFor more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.With contributions fromEd McCambridgeStaff Writer
