He even feels a season in Division One will assist their development, and says: "I think they will stay. They will look at their games and I think it will help them develop as players, playing at a different level where maybe they won't get so much time on the ball.
"Believe it or not it might help their careers, and I am just saying that I know the younger players will be advised to move on and whatever, but I think that some of them haven't really learnt the game as they should have done - and in Division One they will hopefully learn a lot.
"If they keep their younger players, which I think they will, I don't see why they won't bounce back.
"Leicester have done it, with an admittedly older team, to be fair. They lost a couple of players and still came up."
Dev admits, though, that he was choked by the relegation of the club he served so loyally, and says: "It is very, very sad and I am very disappointed. Most people saw at Christmas that they were in trouble and it was only on the last day that we thought we could get out of it.
"It does seem wrong. It is hard to put your finger on it but everyone knows they shouldn't have gone down.
"The fans don't deserve it and they are the ones I feel most for. When I was playing here they were great and it is hard on them."
Alan has resigned as manager of Ryman Premier League side Maidenhead United, and reveals: "I have left Maidenhead, after seven good seasons. The chairman was stepping down so I felt it was the right time to move on and I am waiting for a new challenge.
"There were no resources, but we got promoted and had three years in the Premier Division, won another cup final this season having reached the final in each of the seven seasons and won six of them.
"This is after not having reached a cup final for 27 seasons previous to that, so it is not bad at all.
"I would love to go into the league but it just seems a closed shop and people get sacked after not doing a good job somewhere and get another job somewhere else.
"I think that is sad and sometimes in our game people aren't learning what they should be learning.
"New coaches and new managers with new ideas are not getting a fair crack.
"But I would love to get a league job and will be applying. I love the game, I will just have to wait and see what happens."
Alan will be at a dinner this week to honour Hammers heroes of the past, and you can join them at the London Marriott Hotel, 10 Grosvenor Square, London W1, this Thursday, May 22, at 6.30pm for 7.15pm.
Tickets are £875.00 + VAT for a table of 10 guests, inclusive of a four course meal and wine, while individual seats are £95.00 + VAT each.
If you would like to go, please contact Les Gold or Dennis Webster on 020 8888 5287 for further details.