West Ham board will keep badge feature that made fans go 'ballistic' - Keith Wyness
The West Ham United board are likely to try to keep the word 'London' as part of their badge after announcing a new consultation over their club crest.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that it made "commercial sense" for the club to add that when they switched to their current badge back in 2016.
The Irons confirmed last week that they are launching a consultation with the fans regarding a possible change of badge, which could come into effect from the 2028-29 season onwards.
Wyness believes that the planned interaction is a huge step in the right direction for the club hierarchy, but feels that the unpopular 'London' wording may be kept in place.
He pointed out that the Irons are the only capital club to feature the name of the city on their badge, and believes the board will be keen to keep that as a unique commercial element.
The current badge was introduced as part of the move to the London Stadium, and many groups of supporters have since felt that they have been alienated by the club to some degree.
West Ham commercial department set to battle club hierarchy
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 club badges are the "bane of a chief executive's life."
He pointed towards the difference in desires from the fans and the commercial department as the main reason why it is difficult to please everyone when it comes to the crest.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, he outlined how fans can easily go "ballistic" at a slight change.
"Badges are the bane of a chief executive's life, believe me," Wyness said.
"You'll get your commercial department arguing that you really must have a clearer image for use on social media and merchandise, and then the fanbase goes ballistic when you try and do anything like that because you're tinkering with the club's heritage.
"I understand the reason why the West Ham badge was there. No other club has London in the name as such. So West Ham were trying to own that space, and I think that made commercial sense to try and own that, to be honest.
"I'm sure that some of the fan base will understand the commercial logic behind having London on the badge. Maybe there's a middle ground somewhere to bring back some of the icons on the badge with a visual side as well as having the word London in there somehow.
"Maybe there is a middle ground, and if it was reached through genuine consultation and the fans felt that this was not just lip service, it could be a real positive."
Nils Koppen 'connection' providing concern
Wyness also told Football Insider that he is concerned by the "connection" between interim West Ham CEO Karim Virani, and the new director of recruitment Nils Koppen.
The pair worked together during their respective stints at Rangers, and Wyness has raised concern that West Ham may have opted for Koppen as an easy appointment.
He is set to take the reins after a move fell through to appoint former Newcastle transfer chief Steve Nickson.
Koppen is due to begin his duties at the London Stadium imminently, provided that his application for a UK work permit is granted.