The behind-the-scenes boardroom war at West Ham United is heating up, and former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness believes veteran co-owner David Sullivan is playing a dangerous and ultimately futile game of “shadow boxing” with Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky.
Reports recently emerged indicating that Sullivan Sr. intends to hold onto his substantial shareholding for the foreseeable future before eventually handing the reins over to his two sons, Jack and David Sullivan Jr. However, according to football finance expert Wyness, passing the baton to the next generation will do nothing to stop Kretinsky’s march toward total dominance—and could actually give the Czech businessman the ultimate weapon to wipe out the Sullivan family’s influence altogether.
The Power Struggle and Kretinsky’s Impending Takeover
Daniel Kretinsky is already poised to tighten his grip on the East London outfit. With Vanessa Gold’s impending share sale set to push his stake up to a commanding 46 percent, Kretinsky is on the verge of becoming the undisputed majority power player at West Ham.
As the battle for control reaches its climax, Sullivan appears increasingly likely to lose his grip on the club he has steered for years. Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Wyness suggested that Sullivan’s recent succession rumors are merely a negotiating ploy—a calculated nuisance tactic designed to squeeze maximum value out of his exit.
”I don’t think the two boys are necessarily the right ones to assist West Ham, but it’s obviously just all about maximising the value and being a nuisance, if you like, for Kretinsky,” Wyness explained on Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast. “Overall, it’s just another thing in the game of shadow boxing between Kretinsky and Sullivan right now; that’s all it is.”
How Kretinsky Can Easily Neutralize the Sullivan Sons
While Jack and David Sullivan Jr. have both gained administrative experience around the club—with Jack previously heading up operations on the women’s side—Wyness is adamant that neither son poses a genuine threat to Kretinsky’s ultimate authority.
In fact, Wyness warns that if Sullivan Sr. leaves his shares to his sons, it will play directly into Kretinsky’s hands. Because running an elite Premier League-positioned club requires massive, continuous injections of capital, Kretinsky would hold a devastating financial trump card.
Should the Czech billionaire wish to marginalize the Sullivans completely, all he would need to do is pump fresh capital into the club and demand that minority shareholders match his investment. Given the sheer scale of the funds required, Wyness believes the Sullivan brothers would be entirely unprepared or unable to keep pace, allowing Kretinsky to ruthlessly dilute their shares over time.
”If it did follow through, then I think over time Kretinsky may dig his heels in and just dilute them by putting in more capital and asking them to match it. I don’t think that’s something they’d be prepared to do,” Wyness noted.
Stability on the Pitch Despite Off-Field Drama
While the boardroom power struggle makes for turbulent headlines, things are looking considerably more stable on the pitch under manager Nuno Espírito Santo.
Despite facing early-season scrutiny, Nuno has guided the Hammers to second place in the Championship table after the opening eight matches of the campaign. Drawing on his own extensive experience as CEO at Aston Villa during their time in the second tier, Wyness emphasized that the grueling promotion race is a marathon, expressing total confidence that Nuno has what it takes to steer West Ham back to the promised land.
As the corporate endgame between Sullivan and Kretinsky approaches, one thing is certain: David Sullivan’s attempts to secure a lasting dynasty for his sons face a brick wall in Daniel Kretinsky, whose financial muscle and strategic positioning leave the current hierarchy with dwindling leverage.
