This debate is getting more and more prominent in my mind, as West Ham’s poor performances mean a lot of individual players are getting slated.
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But what surprised me the most is that the players that have shown the most loyalty to the club and have the most passion are tarred with the same brush as those who are yet to show their love for the Hammers.
In fact, Mark Noble and Carlton Cole, who I would consider two of our most loyal players, seem to be the ones who get slated the most. If anything, I’d say that fans expect more from those that they know love the club as much as they do.
Cole can take a 50% pay cut to stay at the club, but if he misses a sitter that’s not ever remembered. Noble may not be the ideal choice to take corners and free kicks, but he is a West Ham man through and through. But does the loyalty really matter when it comes down to it?
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I don’t think loyalty and passion are enough for us fans to be honest – it’s nice to talk about ‘home grown’ players and the academy, but if they’re not good enough than there’s no sugar coating the situation. You probably all know by now how much I love Carlton Cole, and I do find it a bit of rough justice that he gets more stick than other players. Ricardo Vaz Te, for example, in my opinion has been rather lazy and selfish this season, but on Twitter Cole seems to get the brunt of the abuse.
I guess we’re all just fussy as football fans. To really get behind a player and make them a hero in our eyes, they need to have the whole package; passion, loyalty and of course to play their hearts out every single match. There are some who will love loyal players for just that – their devotion to the club – but for the majority, it’s simply not enough.
What do you think? Would you prefer a loyal player who may not always be the best, or a good player who doesn’t care about the club? Leave a comment or tweet me at @alwaysintune.
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It is disgraceful how some fans treat Carlton Cole. Took a pay cut to stay with us and scored a lot of vital goals last season. No striker would succeed in the current system yet the abuse aimed at Cole has got worse. He is not the best striker we have ever had but at the same time he is not the worst and rarely gets the chance to play up top with support. As I said, embarrassing the way some fans treat him.
Cole’s treatment is awful. “Worst player to wear the shirt” some say. Filled in nicely when AC was out and is loyal to the cause. Vaz Te is a farce at Prem level but does anyone get on his back? No. Its an absolute joke!