Ex-West Ham captain Matthew Upson shared that he was hopeful that Manuel Pellegrini was the right manager to come in and steady the ship at the club.
The retired defender, who not only captained the side but made 131 appearances for the Hammers, revealed that he welcomed the appointment of Pellegrini due to the manager’s previous Premier League experience.
Upson then claimed, when asked about the quality of football being improved under the new boss, that it would help keep supporters happy as it would mask any issues happening off the field with the club.
“Yes definitely, someone with Premier League experience,” said the retired footballer when asked about Pellegrini, as quoted by the Daily Star.
“He’s been in management a long time and he’s coming in to a club that needs some guidance, they had a rough season.
“But it’s such a good football club that I think he’ll come in and hopefully steady the ship and do a good job at West Ham.
“What overrides anything at a football club is when things are going well on the pitch.
“You can have a lot of trouble or unrest around the football club, but if the team’s doing well and the supporters are enjoying the football and the results are good then it puts a good shine on everything.”
OPINION
Upson is right to suggest that good football and positive results will keep Hammers fans happy however they won’t ignore any problems going on behind the scenes if they come to light. Last season supporters’ frustration did boil over and lead to some noteworthy scenes but it’s hard to argue that it wouldn’t have happened if David Moyes played better football. Fans still would have felt like the club didn’t do enough in the transfer window and still would not have been happy with the current state of the London Stadium. The ground wasn’t built for football and that is still a factor that effects a fan’s experience when visiting the ground to watch the Hammers play. While the board are hopefully working hard to change what they can regarding the London Stadium, pretty football would not have stopped supporters’ anger from being showcased. However the frustration regarding the situation may have not taken place during a game if the football had been of better quality.
