Jarrod Bowen stands on the precipice of a defining chapter in his career as he faces a critical five-month period that could shape both his future with West Ham and his prospects for the World Cup under Thomas Tuchel’s management. These months are crucial, with his performance potentially determining his fate in both arenas.

Success in keeping West Ham afloat in the Premier League might naturally pave the way for Bowen’s inclusion in the national squad. However, this mission is anything but straightforward. West Ham is in turmoil, having gone eight matches without a victory and languishing perilously close to relegation, a situation not seen in 15 years. The discontent among the fans is palpable, manifesting in protests, boycotts, and symbolic acts of dissent, all directed at the club’s ownership.

Amidst this turbulence, Bowen emerges as the linchpin of the team. He is West Ham’s top scorer and a beacon of hope, tirelessly striving to steer the club away from disaster. Yet, even with his leadership and determination, the task is daunting. The team’s defensive frailties are glaring, and Bowen often finds himself bearing the burden single-handedly.

Bowen has urged his teammates to adopt a more aggressive and cunning approach on the pitch, calling for a level of toughness and street smarts that has yet to materialize. Despite his efforts, questions remain about whether Bowen can truly embody the kind of leadership and personality that West Ham needs from their captain in such a crisis.

As the months unfold, all eyes will be on Bowen to see if he can inspire his team to rise above their challenges and secure a place in the league, and perhaps, in the World Cup squad.

Welcome to the biggest five months of Jarrod Bowen’s career. Five months to keep West Ham up and get in the World Cup squad – take care of one and the other may take care of itself

Bowen is West Ham’s top scorer, talisman, and captain on what too often feels like a one-man crusade and, with a defence as atrocious as theirs, one that even he cannot keep doing alone

For even while Bowen leads by example there still lingers the question of whether he exudes the personality a side like West Ham need from their captain in a relegation scrap.

Former manager Graham Potter felt Bowen often struggled to lead the team during times of trouble in a quiet dressing room with few vivacious characters. He is cut from a far more reserved cloth than the likes of Kevin Nolan or Mark Noble.

There have been flashes of it. Bowen was held back by stewards after trying to confront a fan following the League Cup defeat to this weekend’s opponents Wolves in the League Cup in August.

It was notable, however, that when 20-year-old Ollie Scarles was apologising to supporters, tears running down his face, after his mistake in the recent defeat to Fulham, it was not Bowen by his side but left to others to make sure the Hammers academy graduate was OK.

What is indisputable, though, is that West Ham would be in a far deeper mess without him. Since the start of last season he has more than double the combined league goals and assists than any of his team-mates.

His neat finish to give West Ham the lead against Brighton was his third goal in his last five outings and took him level with Michail Antonio for the most Premier League goals and assists for the club. Give it to Jarrod and hope he does something.

How much longer can they keep relying on him? Does there soon come a time when West Ham have to start thinking about life without him? In five months’ time?

Senior club sources told Daily Mail Sport that Bowen’s future, perhaps unsurprisingly, will depend on which division they start next season in. If West Ham go down, there’s an acceptance that Bowen will be one of the stars to make way.

Bowen has called on his side to be ‘nasty’ to play against. Streetwise. There’s no evidence yet that the squad have it in them

Former manager Graham Potter felt Bowen often struggled to lead – could he have done more to stop Lucas Paqueta talking himself into a red card against Liverpool in November?

It was notable that when youngster Ollie Scarles was apologising to supporters, tears running down his face, after his mistake in the recent defeat to Fulham, Bowen did not go to his side

Even if he does keep West Ham afloat, though, Bowen may still have a decision to make. Where does he see the rest of his career playing out? He’s 30 this year. He’ll be 33 by the time his contract at West Ham expires in June 2030 and, by then, windows of opportunity that were once open have often long since shut.

When Bowen signed that deal two years ago, he declared that he wanted to stay at West Ham for the rest of his career. It was only fair, he said, after they gave him the chance to when no one else wanted to.

Those who know Bowen best talk of a humble lad who has never lost sight of where he came from, from playing for local club Leominster Minors before joining Hereford in the Conference.

By the time he voiced his desire to stay at the Hammers for life, he had gone from the Conference to the Conference League, and more precisely had just scored the winning goal in the last minute of the final.

It was a commitment to a club that had finished sixth and seventh in the Premier League in the previous two seasons.

Now, they are on their fourth manager in 16 months, have dwindling faith in him too, while years of terrible spending and mismanagement has left West Ham staring at a fate few can say they do not deserve.

At some point, if he still dreams of silverware and the grandest stages, this farmer’s lad from Leominster will have to decide if he needs to be selfish for once.

Few would begrudge him that. Even his father-in-law Danny Dyer, the world’s biggest West Ham fan, admitted recently that he’d accept Bowen leaving if he had the chance to join clubs like Real Madrid or Manchester City.

Bowen went from the Conference to the Conference League, and then scored the winner in the final minute to give West Ham their first trophy in decades

Bowen was keen to repay a club who gave him a shot having come up the leagues at Hereford United, who he supported (white shirt and glasses, left-hand side) as a boy

Bowen impressed in flashes at Euro 2024 but faces an uphill battle to make it into this summer’s England World Cup squad

There are few shop windows like a World Cup. Bowen knows the pain of not making it to one, having been left out of Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad for Qatar four years ago.

He knows he has competition this time, too. Bukayo Saka will be start on the right but Tuchel has made it clear he sees his substitutes as finishers. Noni Madueke has struggled with injury but will be in the mix. Cole Palmer can play off the right, too.

Bowen has featured in five of the eight qualifiers played under Tuchel, though he spent his summer running around his dad’s potato fields on the farm to keep fit after being left out of Tuchel’s squad despite ending the season with six goals in eight matches.

He’s got five months to make sure that does not happen again.