Daniel Kretinsky ready to put 'football people' in charge at West Ham as takeover could be on

Daniel Kretinsky is prepared to delegate control to experienced football directors if he completes a takeover of West Ham United.

That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that a move for the Czech investor to buy out David Sullivan would be a popular one among the fans.

Sullivan is currently facing allegations of sexual misconduct, which have already seen him resign as chairman, and could end his involvement in football altogether.

Wyness has backed Kretinsky to step up and take over the club, and believes that his role as owner of Sparta Prague would stand him in good stead at the London Stadium.

The 50-year-old businessman currently owns a 27 per cent stake in the Irons, but could potentially expand his shares to become the majority owner in the coming weeks.

Sullivan has been an unpopular figure among supporters for many years, with protests towards his ownership commonplace in recent seasons.

Daniel Kretinsky set to earn backing of West Ham fans

Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Kretinsky is a "shrewd investor," and would manage West Ham carefully if he took charge.

He expects that the prospective owner would put people with the right expertise in key footballing positions, rather than trying to use his power to dictate events by himself.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness made it clear that Kretinsky would instantly get the backing of the supporters.

"I think anybody but Sullivan is going to be the reason why Kretinsky could be popular," Wyness said.

"I think he would put the right football people in place to manage the investment. He's got a football history, he's got a club in Prague as well, so he understands the football environment. 

"He will also understand, as a shrewd investor, that it's important to have the right people there in terms of how they would handle the sporting director and recruitment.

"I think the fans would definitely back him to get things right, and it could bring a change in the way that West Ham approach things in a more professional way."

Kretinsky's takeover could be done in the 'very near future'

Wyness also told Football Insider that Kretinsky's move to buy out West Ham could be completed in the "very near future" if everything goes to plan.

He expects the Czech investor to emerge as a "strong force" behind the scenes with the East London outfit, and believes he has the financial "ability" to purchase Sullivan's 38.8 per cent stake.

Wyness added that Kretinsky has "very deep pockets," and noted that he could potentially turn West Ham into a "very important asset."

He made it clear that he expects things to move quickly at the London Stadium in the coming days, as the situation surrounding Sullivan continues to unfold.