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Former Hammer Danny Gabbidon says that West Ham's current form is reminiscent of the 2006/07 season - which ended with perhaps the greatest escape of them all.

Gabbidon, 37, speaking on the latest episode of the KUMB Podcast told hosts Chris Scull and Bianca Westwood that he saw many similarities between Slaven Bilic's sophomore season and the Premiership campaign that ended in survival on the final day at Old Trafford ten years ago.

"The 2006/07 season was similar to what's happening to West Ham now," he said. "We had such a good season - qualifying for Europe, an FA Cup Final - we thought we were the big boys now and that it was going to happen again. But it just didn't happen.

"We thought we'd been there and done it. We took our eye of the ball, if I'm honest with you. And there was the Tevez and Mascherano saga which didn't actually go down that well with the manager. They were totally contrasting seasons, really.

"Pards probably started believing the hype a little too much - there was a lot of talk about how good a manager he was becoming off the back of the previous season. He probably took his eye of the ball - and we did as players, as well.

"There was a touch of complacency about it all. We didn't start the season well, Pards didn't last too long and it was a really difficult season. We expected things to happen and got a bit too cocky.

"How you start the season is really important, I think. We started poorly - and then it's very easy for confidence to go the other way. It's a similar situation now."



Gabbidon, who retired as a pro last year also felt that the club failed to enhance the current squad during the summer - and questioned whether the current owners were in a position to be able to take West Ham to the mythical 'next level'.

"The players who have come in to West Ham this season probably haven't helped the dynamic of the team too much," he insisted.

"They did so well last season - probably too well - so that in the summer, David Gold and Sullivan were probably thinking we don't need too much. But now, to go to the next level, we need to be spending £30mllion or £40million on individual players - and I don't think they're ready to do that.

"I don't think the players who have come in this season have helped and quality-wise, I don't think they've been good enough to push on again -hence you;'ve seen a poor start to the season.

It's similar in some ways to 2006/07 when you had the takeover and new players coming into the team plus a lot of things going on off the pitch as well, which didn't help."

To hear the full 80-minute interview with Danny Gabbidon, visit the KUMB Podcast home page.

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