Former West Ham defender Tony Gale says the club’s board and players are to blame for the side’s recent struggles.
The Hammers slipped into the bottom three of the Premier League on Saturday after losing 4-1 at home to Liverpool, with Slaven Bilic’s two-and-a-half year reign as manager being brought to an end on Monday.
Former Everton, Manchester United and Sunderland boss David Moyes is being strongly tipped to take over.
Gale, who played for the Hammers for a decade between 1984 and 1994, said the public pressure on Bilic in his final weeks in charge was unacceptable.
“It was on the cards but I feel the club have had a bit of a PR disaster,” Gale told Sky Sports News.
“It’s not been done correctly for me. A good man can leave the club with his head held high.
“The results haven’t come and the manager carries the can but these players have been awful. They’ve got to have a good look in the mirror themselves.
“All the fans were promised that the club was going to go to another level when they went to the new stadium.
“Let’s hope that other level isn’t down rather than going up from the seventh spot in the last season at Upton Park.”
Gale also backed Moyes to keep the club up if he is given the right support from the owners and the fans.
“Everyone has got to get onside with David [if he takes over],” Gale said.
“The board need to handle things a bit differently – get behind him, stay out of the public limelight and let the manager do his job.
“I suggest it won’t be the same kind of style of football that Slaven was trying to play but it’s the style of football that probably West Ham need to get out of the relegation zone.”
