Jason Cundy has strongly advised West Ham fans that it would be highly inappropriate if they were to jeer their former captain, Declan Rice, during Wednesday night’s game.
Rice, aged 24, departed West Ham for Arsenal in the summer transfer window for a hefty £105 million, marking a significant transfer between the two London rivals.
Since joining Arsenal, the English midfielder has made a significant impact, featuring in all 10 of their Premier League matches this season.
The upcoming Carabao Cup match on Wednesday is the first face-off between West Ham and the Gunners at the London Stadium since Rice’s move. There is concern that Rice may not receive a warm welcome from West Ham fans and might face a chorus of boos due to his transfer from east to north London.
Nevertheless, talkSPORT presenter Jason Cundy, who boasts a professional football career with teams like Chelsea and Tottenham, is optimistic that Rice will be greeted with applause by West Ham supporters. He believes that Rice deserves recognition for his contributions and achievements while at the London Stadium.
Cundy expressed his strong opinion on the matter, stating, “If you’re a West Ham fan listening to this… if you boo Declan Rice, you are an absolute disgrace to your club,”
“You’re an absolute disgrace. (He deserves a good reception) because of what he did (for West Ham), what he achieved.”
Rice initially joined West Ham in 2015 after being released by Chelsea and went on to play in 245 matches before making the move to Arsenal. He took on the captaincy of West Ham following Mark Noble’s retirement in 2022 and led the team to victory in the Europa Conference League in May.
Their triumph in the final against Fiorentina, with a score of 2-1, marked West Ham’s first major trophy in 43 years. His departure from the Hammers was anticipated following his expressed desire to play in the Champions League six months prior.
Cundy further criticized West Ham supporters, noting, “You know what’s really annoyed me about West Ham fans? Is that they bigged him up (and said), ‘We want £100m! We want £110m! We’re not letting him go for this!'”
“No one decides that. They can come on (talkSPORT) and tell us how good he is – yet when he leaves, all the West Ham fans come crawling back. When they started the season well going, ‘We’re a better team without him’. And I’m like, ‘No you’re not’. (They reply), ‘Yeah we are! We’re a better team! Look where we are! Look what we’re doing!'”
When fellow talkSPORT host Jamie O’Hara contested these claims, Cundy responded, “That’s exactly how they sound. And all of a sudden, West Ham’s season is kind of grinding to a little bit of a halt (after back-to-back league defeats).
Cundy expressed his desire for West Ham fans to express their appreciation for Declan Rice’s contributions, achievements, and what he delivered to the club.
West Ham manager David Moyes has also encouraged fans to welcome Rice warmly, citing his outstanding leadership and conduct during his time at the club. Moyes expressed his anticipation of seeing Rice again and underlined the player’s unwavering commitment, even in the face of his anticipated departure from West Ham. Moyes acknowledged that Rice deserves a hearty reception based on his dedication to the team.
Declan Rice
Declan Rice
EnglandArsenal performance and stats
Arsenal will play the next match in Carabao Cup against West Ham United on Wednesday 1st of November in London. The prediction is Arsenal winning the match.
