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David Sullivan reveals all to the West Ham fans

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David Sullivan - West Ham chairmanThursday’s Twitter Q&A session with David Sullivan via his son’s account was a somewhat unorthodox method of connecting with the fans, but then again, this is West Ham we’re talking about. In all honesty, most of our news nowadays surfaces on Twitter before anywhere else, so I suppose it did make sense to hold the Q&A session on the social networking site, allowing supporters to pitch their views, questions and queries regarding our future to one of the powers that be.

Jack Sullivan’s Twitter presence has raised a few eyebrows in recent times, with many suggesting his revealing of news is “unprofessional” and often turns players away from the prospect of joining the club. Despite usually agreeing, I feel hosting a Q&A on his account was certainly the most effective way of getting genuine questions from genuine fans. Perhaps the session should have taken place on the club’s official Twitter page but hey, you can’t have them all. I’ve decided to look at a few of the key questions from the Q&A session and offer up a few of my thoughts on the answers given.

Q: ‘#askDS What’s the situation with Ravel Morrison – do you expect him to stay? / Has a new contract been offered to RM?’

A: ‘All options remain open for Ravel but we think he is a great player and can achieve great things at WHU / discussions are ongoing with Ravel and his agents’

Following the Q&A session, David Sullivan took to the phone on Talksport Radio to clear up speculation about Ravel’s future. He admitted that although he and David Gold were huge fans of the midfielder, there is a huge divide in opinion at the club, with Morrison supposedly not featuring in Sam Allardyce’s future plans. It’s clear for all to see that Ravel’s technical ability and flair is something we lacked for huge parts of last season, but Sam’s refusal to drop skipper and old friend Kevin Nolan, is ultimately stopping the club, and Morrison from progressing. I am not anti-Kevin Nolan any way, but I do feel as if his time’s up and fails to contribute enough to the side any more. At just 21 years old, Morrison could be a star in East London for many years to come; I just hope this reported rift between himself and the boss does not force him out of the club, leaving us kicking ourselves a few years down the line.

Q: ‘#askDS When do we expect a response from Winston Reid regarding the new contract offer?”

A: ‘We are still in discussions but he has turned down our latest offer’

I recently wrote an article on this site about potential replacements for Reid if he is to reject our contract offers and move elsewhere. Perhaps the board need to take a look at this list now, or put their hands in their pockets and offer Reid the contract and wages he deserves. Injury problems aside, the New Zealand international has been outstanding the past few seasons and has cemented his place at the heart of the Hammers defence, and attracted deserved attention from the likes of Arsenal in the process. I genuinely hope that Winston signs a new deal as I feel we are a far weaker team without him and to be perfectly honest, I do not relish the prospect of James Tomkins and James Collins at the back week in, week out.

Q: ‘Do you expect us to sign any other players other than a full back? #askDS’

A: ‘Yes another striker’

The signing of Mauro Zarate alongside the hopefully, imminent arrival of Enner Valencia for £12m undoubtedly shows attacking intent from Sam Allardyce. Despite this, I was pleased to read we are in the hunt for another striker, considering the fact Valencia has been known to play in wide positions, whilst Zarate’s form and goal records at previous clubs has not always been consistent to say the least. If I had my way, I’d love a player like Jordan Rhodes at Upton Park – a natural goal scorer. At £8million however, I do not feel a move for the front man is realistic, particularly considering the money we have already spent this summer. I’d hazard a guess and say that the board will probably look to as per usual, grab a striker on loan to get us out of jail until you know who returns, gets injured, and the cycle starts all over again.

David/Jack Sullivan ended the Q&A session with a side note about Andy Carroll: ‘VERY BAD NEWS REGARDING AC: TORN LIGAMENTS IN ANKLE… WILL BE PLAYING IN 4 MONTHS’

You have to laugh, don’t you? The big Geordie has been absolutely plagued with injury problems since his arrival in East London and these problems are showing little sign of going any time soon. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is the third consecutive pre-season Carroll has had disrupted due to injury, and it really makes you wonder how he passed his medical with “flying colours”. Nonetheless, and I can’t believe I’m saying this again, but I wish Andy Carroll all the best and swift recovery – I’m sure he’ll come back stronger..

I hate to be pessimistic but on the whole, a pretty disastrous day for us Hammers to say the least. Our best defender has rejected a contract, our best striker is out of action for four months, and our most creative midfielder’s future is as unclear as ever.

Come on you Irons.

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4 comments

  • Dave says:

    To be honest I think doing sessions like this and also the talksport session are turning us into a laughing stock.
    They are totally undermining the manger all the time, which I think is just plain unfair to him and his staff. When it comes to it he employed BFS to run and manage the team, so if you don’t want him then get rid, don’t keep ridiculing his decisions in public.
    I can see Sam walking soon, he’s actually a proud man and I think if he goes we could well get relegated. The players are all on his side so just let him play football.
    Interesting comments from him after the Sydney stuffing – “The players are trying to learn a new system, which I have been told must happen.”
    Surely we all know that we don’t have the players to play expansive football !
    Joey o Brien, James Collins , Tomkins and Read, yeah they are great at tippy tappy football, they haven’t hit a pass under 25 yards for 5 years, and it all starts at the back !
    Give Sam a break and let him do it his way and get Sullivan senior and Junior to keep shut.

    • AppyAmmer says:

      Undermining the manager, who has not done that at all to the fans? Not tried to have a pop at the fans given any chance. The same one who after we lost 3-1 to Sydney blamed it on the fact he was asked to be a bit entertaining for a change. (Yet we played exactly like we did all last season so nothing HAS changed)
      He deserves some stick from the Davids as he has had so much support from them and all he got was 2 fingers in return. Sam loves to ridicule himself, if he cant take it, should not of given it in the first place.
      I really hope he walks soon and does everyone a favour, save the club some money in compensation at least, its the least he could do. Im not sure he is that proud a man, would prefer arrogant to proud. If he stays we are in trouble of relegation, so not sure what the difference will be if we get someone who at least tries to knock the ball about. The players are not on his side, but on Nolan, this why its clever how he has gotten him to be the captain in a certain way, a new gaffer would have to keep Nolan as captain at first just to keep the players sweet and onside.
      We DO have the players to play expansive football, like we did last season, but the fatman just wont do it or is incapable. You mentioned 4 players (One misspelt) and they are all defenders, of course you are not gonna have flair from them. How about flair players Morrison, Downing, Jarvis, Valencia, Vaz Te, Zarate, Diame to name a few. Also not forgetting flair players that were never given a chance #COUGH Joe Cole for example.
      They have not hit a pass under 25 yards in 5 years, funny that how long the fatman has been at the club. Reid played 2 game sin his first season and after that always played under BFS and Collins was a BFS signing and im sure Villa fans complained that he hit it long too often. So that excuse that it starts from the back is rubbish and also, in fact, its what they are told to do.
      How anyone can even remotely support the arrogant tool is beyond me.

      • Dave says:

        I’, not saying blindly support him, i’m saying either shut up whinging about him or get rid.
        I would say though good football starts from the back, if you can’t pass the ball out you can’t get it to the midfield to play. We don’t have a defender who is comfortable on the ball, it doesn’t matter how I spelt their names, they are not comfortable staring the play when they are under pressure.
        Collins was with us for a few years before BFS got him back, so nothing new.
        Jarvis a flair player, you are more deluded than me, I’ve never seen such a poor player around the box for £12m.
        We’ll see how good Joe Cole is at Villa this year, surprising no one else wanted him when we signed him and only Villa fancied him this time, never the player he was once a long time ago.
        I would love to see Morrison given a go though, but can’t see BFS going with him. Interesting Harry didn’t play him when it came to the crunch in the play off final, maybe he can’t be trusted.
        I called for Moyes to be manager before the season starts, but was loudly abused on here. Still prefer him over BFS any day.

        • ross says:

          a real number of valid points
          1st we have struggled to move players on
          for the last 3 seasons had some really had some unbalanced sides last season over abundance of midfielders season before 6 strikers when playing 1 up front..
          last season everyfan new we was light a quality striker and 4th c/b…which cost us big time moneywise…i dont believe for one minute the wingers are being asked to whip the ball from the by line.. andy is being asked to play with his back to goal to win knockdowns n freekicks wont score many from there, only once last season did we come from behind to win. we have 4 d/m is likely that noble will push up to fight for nolan position..with the a/m strickers wingers are spending t/s .. while a/c plays that way
          he will keep picking up injurys

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