Why I Stayed With West Ham Despite Relegation – Bowen

West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen has opened up on his decision to remain at the London Stadium despite relegation to the Championship. He recently had his say while speaking to the press, and fans have been reacting.

Insisting that his deep connection with the club made the choice clear, Bowen said that he had no issues recommitting his future because he really loves West Ham.

Jarrod added that despite relegating with the Hammers last season, he deserved to represent England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

His words, “I was asked about my future after we were relegated and it was about making the right decision for myself.

I thought of it as what’s going to be the biggest ‘what if?’ when I retire? There’s going to be ‘what ifs’ whatever you do, but it was going to be that one that would nag away at me for years and years to come. I knew I had to give it a go to get this club back into the Premier League. That was the overriding factor.

No one needs to sell the club to me. It was just an honest conversation about what we want to do as a club moving forward.

My wife and family are never going to be in my ear saying ‘I think you should stay or I think you should go’.

I’ve experienced the Championship and it’s such a competitive league. I remember when I was at Hull, we were doing well in the league and you’d go to a side bottom of the league and they turn you over. It’s one of the toughest leagues to get out of because it’s so demanding, so physical. What we need to do as a team is have that winning mentality, understanding what it takes to win games.

Don’t get me wrong, it was difficult. OK, we got relegated, but as an individual, I felt like I contributed well. We didn’t do well and maybe that went against me. It was difficult to watch the 2026 World Cup to begin with because I felt like I deserved to be there. Anyone in the same situation would be saying the same thing. That weekend was the worst a footballer could have in terms of missing out on the England squad on the Friday, then getting relegated on Sunday.”