Tomas Soucek reacts after West Ham's relegation - 'devastated' claim made | OneFootball

West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek has broken his silence on relegation to the Championship with a heartfelt message to supporters

West Ham's 14-year stay in the Premier League officially came to an end on Sunday afternoon when Tottenham Hotspur's slender win against Everton confirmed that the Hammers would be relegated to the Championship alongside Wolves and Burnley, despite claiming an emphatic 3-0 final-day victory over Leeds United.

It had been a tumultuous campaign for the East London outfit, who, having finished the previous season in 14th position, spent the entirety of the term battling against relegation and ultimately slipped into the second-tier for the first time in more than a decade.

Reports are now indicating that ex-Wolves and Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo is poised to be relieved of his duties at the London Stadium in the immediate aftermath of relegation, with the 52-year-old winning just 12 of his 37 matches across all competitions after replacing Graham Potter back in September.

Exactly what lies ahead for West Ham is unclear, although a significant rebuild awaits both on and off-the-pitch as the Hammers seek to overhaul the playing squad and prepare to compete for promotion straight back to the Premier League while compensating for losses and raising funds through inevitable player sales and, most likely, pursuing a new managerial appointment in the coming days and weeks.

Remarkably, West Ham have been among the Premier League's higher spenders over the last five years, in which they have shelled out more on transfer fees than sides such as Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brighton and Hove Albion and Forest and even lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League title in 2022, though their demise this season was dramatic and has shaken the club to its core.

Tomas Soucek pens emotional West Ham relegation message

As all at West Ham make sense of relegation and how such a fate was allowed to unfold in light of such expenditure and expectation, long-serving stalwart Tomas Soucek has reacted to his side's shock return to the Championship in an emotional message penned to supporters.

Soucek, who has been with the club since January 2020 after arriving on loan from Slavia Prague before signing permanently that summer, has broken his silence on a situation which he has described as "one of the hardest days" of his footballing career.

Having made just shy of 300 appearances in East London, Soucek has seen it all with the Hammers and told supporters via X just how "devastated" he is for the fans and the club as a whole when addressing relegation in a post published on Tuesday afternoon.

The 31-year-old wrote: "This is one of the hardest days of my football career.

"You deserved better from us. Thank you for standing with us even in the toughest moments.

"I truly believe the West Ham family will stay united and loyal through this difficult time, just as you always have.

"Now it’s on us to respond the right way, work harder than ever and fight to bring West Ham back where it belongs."

Tomas Soucek can be a key figure at West Ham in 26/27

The tone of Soucek's message would appear to suggest that he intends on staying around and helping West Ham compete for an instant return to the Premier League, which represents a rare boost for Nuno's side right now.

The 89-cap Czechia international has been an ever-present at the London Stadium, becoming an undisputed fan favourite by marrying up work-rate and steel in the midfield engine room with a surprise goal threat that has seen him find the back of the net on nearly 50 occasions since arriving more than six years.

Soucek still has the quality to remain at top-flight level, and West Ham's promotion chances would be strengthened by retaining an operator of his experience, class and commitment to the cause.