Recent weeks have said a lot about our two chairmen and Karen Brady. In the same week West Ham hero Paolo Di Canio took charge at Sunderland we had Karen Brady and David Sullivan openly criticising him for his alleged political beliefs in separate articles.
Earlier than that David Sullivan started his public pursuit of Wilfried Bony, a move which now seems nothing more than a marketing ploy. With David Gold we have the constant opportunity to tweet him and let him know our thoughts with the odd tweet getting a response. So after a few weeks where they have certainly been in the spotlight it is fitting that I am writing an article discussing my thoughts on the owners.
Firstly, I am pleased with the increased stability we have at the club with regard to getting promotion and looking as if we will stay up this season. Do I believe that it is by some miracle that we have managed to do that and that DG and DS are legends for doing it? No, because simply put if we hadn’t had got promoted last season with the squad we had, it would have been a disgrace. They employed Big Sam, is he the only manager that could have got us promoted at the first time of asking and kept us safe this season? No, he isn’t and he hasn’t done it in good style or particularly well either (we needed the playoffs to get here!) but as I said I am very happy to be in the situation we are in but many fans go overboard with their praise of the owners and of Big Sam. They aren’t the only people in the world that could have done this and they certainly haven’t worked miracles BUT we are in a far better position and the owners deserve praise for that.
My first problem with the owners is their insistence on claiming that they are the saviours of West Ham and that they are not in it for the money. They are shrewd businessmen and saw an opportunity to buy West Ham very cheaply, get the OS and inflate the price of the club. They are in it for monetary gain and thus it frustrates me that they have said emphatically that they are not. I wouldn’t care if they said nothing on the subject but to claim that they aren’t in it to gain money from it is just ridiculous. No businessman goes in to something unless they are at the very least hoping to gain money from it. An example, they promised to lower ticket prices to make West Ham a family club, disabled season tickets were going to be raised by 107% before fans like myself tweeted in disgust about it. They saw our annoyance but only capped the rise in price at 50% rather than abolish the rise. David Gold had the audacity to compare our prices with Champions League side Arsenal which I thought said a lot about him. My problem with the owners is that I am not convinced that they are such huge fans of the club because if they were they wouldn’t take all of us for mugs.
Now I will move on to the open criticism of Paolo Di Canio. Who knew that our porn baron owners were so against the idea of having PDC as a manager of our football club? No one, because despite being owners of the club for quite some time now the Paolo Di Canio lounge still exists with Paolo’s name plastered all over it. For Karren Brady and David Sullivan to openly criticise Paolo Di Canio’s alleged political beliefs is disgraceful. It is disgraceful because what they both wrote was completely untrue. Their articles showed that they have no interest in who Di Canio is or what he believes in and instead just looked at the headlines and believed what the media were saying. Sullivan notes that unless he renounces his fascist beliefs he will never be able to manage West Ham whilst Sullivan and Gold are at the helm. The problem there is that Di Canio’s actual beliefs aren’t fascist at all in the modern sense of the word. In fact most British people would agree with his views on immigration. It frustrates me that two people who occupy such high positions at the club wrote such garbage about a West Ham hero whilst at the same time making money off his name. That sentence says all you need to know about our owners, mercenary’s. When Di Canio called himself a fascist it was a misguided comment because when you read about what he actually believes in he is not a fascist. In his owns words he said it to be part of a group. Unfortunately our “West Ham fan” owners couldn’t be bothered to do their research on one of the greatest West Ham players ever before mindlessly commenting on his beliefs and attempting to take the moral high ground which of course is nigh on impossible for porn barons.
Now on to the Olympic Stadium. We as fans were promised consultation. We have not been consulted at all regarding the OS yet Karen Brady sent an e-mail around earlier in the week proclaiming that as promised consultation was going to happen soon. All I will say is that there is no point consulting us when there isn’t anything important to be consulted about. I am in favour of the move but am extremely annoyed at the way they dealt with the OS. The owners knew getting the OS would make them very rich men when WHUFC climbs the ranks or the eventually sell, either way, they will make a lot of money. They went after the OS with no respect of fans opinions at all and then to send out an e-mail saying as promised fans will now be consulted as if that’s what we expected their promise to mean is a load of rubbish in my opinion. They wanted nothing to get in the way of getting the OS. As for David Sullivan’s open pursuit of Wilfried Bony, if we end up getting Bony then well played but I doubt we will get him and DS was probably just trying to goad Liverpool in to accepting a lower offer for Carroll when we eventually put a bid in for him. As per usual with David Sullivan he wishes he was the manager and seems to think us fans care about his opinion. Like his son, both should be more careful with what they do and say.
My article has been distinctly negative so far and understandably there will be some passionate DS and DG supporters frothing at the mouth right now perhaps they have even written a strongly worded reply but here is a short paragraph of positives. For all their imperfections of which there are many, David Gold and David Sullivan with the help of Karren Brady have put us in a much more stable position than when they took over. They promised a new stadium and they delivered (lucky they got the OS because there was no way they were going to cough up for a new one themselves). We are now in the Premier League and our league position suggests we have had a good season. I am of the opinion we would have done much better with a manager like PDC in charge but I digress.
They set out to do a job and they have done it. Do I agree with the way they have gone about it? No, in fact I think they have dealt with many situations terribly but having David Gold on Twitter at least gives us some insight in to the club that other fans don’t. However, recent weeks have enabled the top 3 people of our club to show their true colours and they have done that in emphatic style, none of it shedding a positive light over them as individuals in my opinion.
I like being controversial so please comment with your thoughts, many of you I am sure will disagree with what I have said. I will say it now, you are naive if you believe everything the owners have said. Yes, we are in a much better position than we were when they took over and they deserve praise for that. Sam isn’t the only manager that could have done it and DS and DG aren’t the only rich men who could have bought West Ham and done it so the praise should be what they deserve not overboard which much of it has been. Their pockets come before West Ham and as supposed fans of the club I have been disappointed with their handling of almost every situation they have faced at the club. Since they have been in charge we have lost a lot of what is fundamental about West Ham Football Club. The Boleyn ground, attempting to play football and our youth system are all gone from the club and that is a disgrace in my opinion and it is their doing. For me, the negatives outweigh the one positive they have and because they aren’t the only guys who could have achieved that positive it is massively outweighed by the negatives. I am not a fan of them as owners, perhaps if I met them it might be different but at the same time all I have seen from them is an act which they have failed to keep up. As the saying goes “actions speak louder than words” and what they have done as owners is at odds with what they claim to be and want to do.
You’re not controversial you are a dickhead.
As far as I’m concerned that reply says a lot more about you than it does me mate.
Ha Ha
Can’t remember many people clammering to buy West Ham at the time, that the Bank who owned us were willing to deal with anyway – so yes they did stop us from ending up like Portsmouth so I for one will always be grateful to them for that. Of course they are hoping to get some money out of their investment in the future any businessman would but doubt very much that they are getting much at the moment. Plus think they will still need to spend a fair amount over the coming seasons as we need to ensure we remain in the PL for when we move to the Olympic Stadium.
On the question of that in my opinion the move there is vital if West Ham are to kick on and try to compete for european football.
Tony Fernandes put a much better offer on the table. Offered to buy the club outright and wipe the debt it from his own pocket straight away but the holding company wanted to own half the club still so they could profit from it when the future got better. West Ham was never in trouble of doing a Portsmouth, too big and too great to have failed, guaranteed but yes they have done that, have gone about it the wrong way is my point.
The move is vital but don’t promise me as a ST holder consultation and then not bother.
Not sure Fernandes would have been any better. Not jealous of QPR, I can’t stand what they are doing, wages>revenue??? Don’t be so sure about ‘not doing a Portsmouth’. There have been some much bigger and more important entities than West Ham that have gone to the wall over the last few years. I for one back the owners, stability is key an we have it (almost).
I would so love to have a few youth players coming on at thi stage of the season! Not with Sam and his ex Bolton mates around
Completely agree Duncan, if Spence, Morrisson, Hall, Potts, Collison and Turgott aren’t getting at the very least regular sub appearances next season it will be a travesty. Our youth system has gone to pieces since Sam has come in.
I think u are about 90% right altho Nolan Carroll diame all come cos of fat Sam altho I think how football is negative under him and any decent manager would have got us up with that team
I dont like our style of play however, Wasnt having BFS in charge the reason certain players joined our club after we got relegated? Would PDC been able to attract the players we needed to come to WHU at a time when we were in a complete mess?
Nolan came when we were relegated, the other players that came such as Joey O’Brien etc would have gone anywhere as they were out of contract or not playing much at all. Our squad was fine without those guys and they weren’t really the core of our team aside from Nolan who we didn’t really need as we had Collison who is a better player in my opinion but I see where you are coming from and perhaps you are right.
agree with every word said the same from the start and if any one realy thinks when they get the os prices will go down ill have some of what their on
Agree with what you say and the most worrying thing is the lack of chances for the youth players, this is shown by Robert Hall thinking over signing a new deal.
Let’s not be taken in my the trio.
Before any abuse comes by way, please remenber I have been going to games for over 45 years.
COYI
Got to take the writer to task about Di Canio. I, and a significant amount of other WHU supporters, fully support Gold when he said that Di Canio has to renounce his fascist beliefs before taking charge at WHU. 1) Paulo was a great west ham hero and he should be remembered fondly for what he was and for what he did. Subsequent to leaving WHU, Di Canio made salutes they are clearly associated with Hitler and the nazis no less than 3 times. Please, lets not try to split hairs and call it a ‘Rome’ salute or whatever. That’s just being disingenuous. Di Canio knows very well that people throughout Europe including Italy, including Rome, associate it with the nazis and ethnic cleansing. He knew what he was doing, in addition to stating that he was a fascist, which is inseparable from ethnocentrism. 2) What makes things worse is that Di Canio only renounced his views when personal gain was at stake as at Sunderland. So not only is he a fascist, but a conniving one as well. That makes him particularly odious in my view. 3) Lastly, please give thought to the thousands of people from the east end, and even WHU players, who were killed during the second world war fighting fascism in all its forms. How do you think the parents and relatives of those that did lose people would think about having a fascist in charge of the team? I, and many others, would be utterly ashamed if Di Canio was to manage the club. We are an inclusive, honest, working class club. Remember Di Canio for what he was, fair enough, but not for what he has become.
Perhaps you should go out and buy his autobiography and then call him a fascist. His salutes and comments have been misguided but in reality he does not hold fascist beliefs. You aren’t the only one who has had families fight in the war and I am staunchly against Nazism and fascism too.
I’ll read his autobiography as you suggest. But a lot of people won’t and I would understand why they wouldn’t want to on the basis of what you call his misguided comments and actions. They represent something that is the opposite of what our club is about and what we could well do without in the East end. Btw, as you know, he called himself a fascist. It’s not just others that call him that.
Good man, let me know what you think of it. I understand the trepidation of having him as manager but it has been a fair while since he reached the news for fascist beliefs and signs etc. With PDC he is kind of a love him or hate him guy but recently he has been misrepresented in my opinion. His autobiography says a lot more about him, might change your opinion of him, might not. Thanks for the comment, perhaps we will always disagree on the subject of PDC though 🙂
I could not have put it better myself, because I certainly would have had to call Jack and David Sullivan a pair of publicity seeking c**ts and David Gold a liar and a spin master. As for Brady, she was in favour of changing the name of OUR club to West Ham Olympic, yet still keeps her own maiden name?
Well done Hugh
We was in danger of doing a portsmouth pal, we were in over 100m in debt and it was only going to end one way with them icelandics in charge! You talk about them being shrewd business men but no shrewd business man would of took over our club with the state it was in! They have, whether u like it or not, saved our club from going bust, i agree with some of what u say like the publicity stunts over Bony but u owe DG and DS a lot more than u are giving them credit for!
A very good article though i must say, well written
I get what you are saying but the fact that we were always going to get the OS as we were heavy favourites was a big selling point. It was a calculated risk as the debt of the football club will never affect them as owners and I am of the opinion that we were never at huge risk of doing a Portsmouth for various reasons but my opinion is just a hunch rather than anything else, it could have gone either way.
You are probably right regarding my lack of praise for the owners, they do deserve more than I give them.
Thanks for reading, it’s refreshing to see someone who disagrees with me, compliment me on the article in the same comment, much appreciated!
The most important thing for any fan right now is that pogatetz does not play a part on Wednesday he must be the worst defender we have ever employed, whoever brought him to our club needs shooting, and I don’t mean the taxi driver, we must have a few dev squad players who can fill in.
Hahaha so true well said christine
Spot on Christine. He is awful. I am wondering what BFS is doing with some of these fringe players this season.
At last, another hammer that isn’t blinded by the bling of Gold, Sully and Brady.
Last year it was the ST discount, this year it was disabled tickets, yet the sycophants still fawn over them for a re tweet, just to make their day.
The OS won’t mean anything except same old west ham just in a shiny new ground.
On current evidence, I’m delighted it was Gold and Sullivan who bought us and not Tony Fernandes but, of course, no one will ever know the difference between how badly it’s turned out for him at QPR and how well he may have done at West ham.
I’m one who will forever be thankful to the owners for the way they have saved our beloved football club. There have been things they should or should not have done or said, agreed but, if you look at the bigger picture, you’ll realise just how much they have done for us.
At this moment in time I’d much rather be in the Premier League playing dull football than in the Championship attempting to play attractive football with a second-string manager who tries but, ultimately isn’t good enough. The style of football isn’t ideal and isn’t what West Ham is all about but, ask yourself this: What league would I much rather be watching West Ham play in?
Staying on the subject of managers. Paolo Di Canio is no where near ready to be a West Ham manager. Only a few decent seasons in charge of Sunderland will determine whether he will ever will be right for us.
Fundamentally, after all is said and done, we have all craved stability in recent seasons. We’ve now got that. But there is still a large percentage of the club’s fan base that aren’t happy with it. Well, if you’re not, then you might want to rethink your allegiance to the club because Premier League football clearly isn’t for you.
I’m a firm believer that things will only get better at the club, including the style of football. We’re on the up, we’ve just got to be patient for the glamour.
Irons.
I think Fernandes has been unlucky at QPR, perhaps he has been too quick to throw money at players but also both his managers have insisted on spending vast sums of money and on paper they have a fantastic squad but you are right who knows what would have happened if he had got us.
The main aspect we differ on is the Premier League vs Championship argument. If I look at myself now compared to last season, what was I enjoying more as a fan? I was having a far more enjoyable time last season as even with Sam in charge we were playing nice football and winning. Championship football is unsustainable for a team with PL aspirations granted, but I did much prefer it last season and as a paying fan isn’t that what is vitally important? That you are enjoying yourself.
I think Paolo is ready for West Ham now myself but either argument is plausible.
Regarding your allegiance to the club point. If I were too say how a large portion of the fan base are happy with Sam in charge and the football we play and that if you are happy with that then you should question your allegiance as good quality Premier League football isn’t for you would that be a fair statement? No, it wouldn’t and neither is it fair for you to say that someone who is unhappy with the way we play at the moment in the name of “stability” should stop supporting the club. Big Sam’s hoof ball isn’t the only thing that could have gained us stability.
I hope you are right and the football does get better with time because then this season will have been somewhat worth the useless rubbish we have been watching 😛
That last paragraph isn’t an angry one although it sounds it, just putting my view across. Thanks for reading and I think we are just at polar opposites so will likely never agree but always nice to read other opinions and respond without resorting to name calling as some others do.
Tony F is just an Eggy mk2. Spending other peoples money on bad players with over inflated wages. The fact that one of his first purchases was buying Dyer off us, proves that fact.
I am a fan of the present board as they have delivered us from an unenviable position of their own making, by appointing Grant, to a diametrically opposed position of Premier League stability and securing a wonderful new venue in the OS. They have transformed us as a club albeit in a style of football some will question. I am perplexed by this doubt. Of course they are in it for the money only a fool would think otherwise but you must commend them for their ability, if they pull it off, in lining their own pockets and at the same time providing the fans with the type of success that far and away outweighs ‘The West Ham way’. Only those of us who were at Wembley in 1965 to see us beat Munich 1860 would know all about the ‘West Ham Way’. Do not forget the Davids are ably assisted by a women of imense stature and as a team they should enjoy their success.
i do agree with most of what you say , Everything about the owners who l do not trust with my club, Brady is a mercenary and will work where the money is, She is not a West Ham Fan although she tries to say she is. Yes Gold does go on Tweeter that is his job to pacify the fans and keep them sweet. While Sullivan and Brady do what they do best and that is to make more money for themselves. I genuinely fear for my club in future years, WE HAVE NO HOME God forbid if things go wrong at the OS later down the line like it did with The Dome, Where would we go. They knew when they were coming in the club exactly what they was going to do with Upton Park they were always going to get rid and go for the cheap rental of the OS. MONEY MONEY MONEY. And as you say no consultation with us they led us to believe they could not do this until contracts were signed, BUT we only had their word for that and what doe that mean.NOTHING . But l do not want PDC as a Manager not until he is proven not just for his tactics but his attitude,I truly believe he is a loose cannon, And l know l will get slated but he has never been a Hero to me just a good player on very goog wages. My Hero is Bobby Moore and will always be Sometimes l think fans use the woRd Legends very easily. Great Article and you covered lots of my feelings about the G&S and Brady take over. Just one more thing it will be interesting to see if our Season Tickets go up and then if they do they will make the big thing of taking them down again on entry to OS and then say ” WE SAID WE WOULD GIVE YOU CHEAPER PRICES” Sorry if this upsets anyone but this is my opinion and you are welcome to yours. COYI’S GIVE A GOOD DISPLAY AGAINST MAN U WEDNESDAY.
Thanks for your response Anne, you usually disagree with my articles. I understand what you think of PDC but it’s hard not to see him as a legend of the club, just a different style of legend to Bobby Moore that is all. Perhaps he is a loose cannon but he would do absolutely everything for this club and passion goes a long way. You are a Big Sam believer so our tactical preferences obviously differ hugely, hence why I much prefer PDC haha.
If the ST prices go up next season it will be very, very interesting to see what the reaction from fans is, I know what my response will be!
Of course it’s about money and I’m surprised anyone can believe it is anything but.I am not saying DG DS & KB haven’t been good for the club but the long term plan,I believe,is about property.Not just the Boleyn Ground either.The training ground @ Chadwell Heath is massive,several apartment blocks can be built on the site,the not so holy trinity are salivating at the amounts the sale of even half of it will bring.Fair enough, after all they are in business but to try and con us into thinking they are not after financial gain is total disrepect.Be honest and admit it,it’s what most of us believe anyway.With regards to ST prices I think they wiill creep up until the move,but then,like the generous,giving people they are will drop dramatically.They want to fill the new ground and will practically have to give tickets away-or am I just an old sceptic ?
You need to back the club and manager that have brought us stability and success, you just sound like an ungrateful child who wants to try and sound clever with his answers to anyone who disagrees with his “controversial” comments.
The owners tried the way you wanted re style of football and it didn’t work out with Grant who you moaned about, you would’ve wanted Martin O’Niell over SA but look at him now, you are just a knee jerker who doesn’t see the bigger picture.
We needed stability and promotion last year with very little change to our first team, SA provided that. You saying we should’ve got promoted with the squad we had is disrespectful to the Championship and a childish comment based on nothing. Look at how many teams have failed to bounce back aswell as those that may or have been relegated (Portsmouth and Wolves).
And you really lost all credibility when you said PDC is ready to manage us. That is another comment lacking any long term vision and based on your heart. I loved PDC but he managed Swindon (a team with fair money for their division) and has won ONE high profile game in the prem (many managers benefit from the new manager effect and should not be judged on a couple of results), perhaps you want him because of his passion, oh okay let’s put the future of our club on that then, much better than the proven manager who has actually made us successful since his arrival. Oh and let’s bring
in the Chairman who has failed at QPR at put them in a position whereby the club may go bankrupt due to childish contracts being handed out that pay too much to players who try very little.
I am not going to respect your article as it is disrespectful to those busting a gut for the club right now and if you had your way we may well end up like Portsmouth, although you said we would not as we were too big, another childish comment with no back up.
I like to reply to everyone’s comment and explain my view and don’t sound childish at all, in fact I respect most people’s opinions even if I disagree, something which you seem to be unable to do. If like the first comment you call me a dickhead, the likelihood is I will outwit you intellectually, you can’t fault me for that.
Your first two comments are based on the assumption I wanted Avram Grant and then Martin O’Neill, an assumption you cannot make as you have no idea who I wanted to manage us at those given times, it was neither Grant nor O’Neill. If my comments were childish and baseless then that one of yours is unbelievably so.
The clubs you mention didn’t have their PL quality players stay at the club thus they struggled. We should have easily won that league with the squad we had, that is my opinion, just because it differs from yours doesn’t make me childish.
So me wanting a manager who has thus far proved at every level that he has managed, he can do a job is failing long term vision. Just because he is not as experienced as Sam doesn’t mean he is not a good manager. I wanted PDC before he came to Sunderland so the “new manager effect” had no impact on me wanting him. You want the future of our club to be of hoof ball, mid table boring football, am I going to start saying you have lost all credibility because that is your opinion? No, I am not.
And with all due respect you call me childish in the same comment as you call one of the most successful businessmen in the world childish, it is clear to see who loses credibility here. I think you need to have a read of your comment compared to my article and see who is the childish one here, just because you might be older than me doesn’t give your opinion any more validity than mine and thus you have no right to start calling me childish for having an opinion but I appreciate you reading my article and thanks for commenting.
Lol touched a nerve there!
Saying you are right and your comments are right does not make it so.
If you want respect then back your comments up. For instance I say we got relegated from the prem with a whimper and lost Ba. We had a small squad, some cheap buys and a squad no better than the teams that went down with us (who also finished the prem better than us).
You’re basically saying we were the only team with prem quality players and should’ve got promoted with no back up accept for it’s your opinion (that’s poor).
You should respect what SA achieved in his first season with some overpaid flops and down in the dumps players.
In the prem SA has done what he needs to to keep us up with minimal spending in the summer with the hope that when the huge cash inputs next season we can improve and therefore enjoy better football.
But you would rather be relegated this season playing tip tap football (ridiculous).
You mentioned originally that you want to play like last season in the Championship well we were a bigger fish so obviously it is harder in the top league and obviously it takes time to adapt.
You seem to prefer the idea of playing in a league lower so we can play how we want and win more (this is the sort of attitude a glory hunting child has!)
When did I say I am right and my comments are right?
Just because you don’t respect my article doesn’t mean I don’t have respect at all, many of the comments, even those who disagree say it is a very well written piece and judging by your 2 comments I am not particularly bothered about you respecting me or my article anyway.
Your opinion is that they were/are over overpaid flops, I completely disagree with that notion and you have nothing to back it up either. If you believe our squad wasn’t very good that is your opinion, why is your opinion more important than mine? Are you not childish then for thinking that the squad wasn’t very good in the Championship?
Minimal spending? He was given £20 million to spend, not minimal. Everton, Newcastle and Swansea have all done fine without £20 million to spend. Newcastle are only struggling this season as their key players have been injured for most of the season.
Takes time to adapt, small fish in a big pond? So what? Swansea have done exactly that and done very well, it is very childish to think hoof ball is the only way to succeed in the Premier League.
Glory hunting child? Yes, because supporting West Ham leads to so much glory at the moment doesn’t it. I want to watch good football when I go to the Boleyn, it is not impossible to play good football and win straight after the Championship as other teams have shown.
This is the last time I will grace a comment of yours with a reply as for someone calling me childish you are very childish yourself. If you disagree with me, that is absolutely fine but don’t call me childish for having an opinion that differs from yours. You haven’t backed up anything you say either.
You were right Allardyce is no good for us we’ve had plenty of nights like that against Man Utd in recent years.
Lets get the inexperienced Di Canio in now
Childish Mug!
COYFI!!!!’
Please consider our previous owners, when disecting our current owners. My mind does not recal the perfect incumbent. We are moving in the right direction and time will tell if we have asset strippers or Legends running our club!
You make a fair point Dave. In future years I might look back on this article and say I was a tad unfair but they have still lied to us as paying fans but you are right, we are moving in the right direction and if we have to sacrifice a few things now for future gain I can handle it but as you as you say, only time will tell.
An excellently written article and I agree with many points: DS and Bony plus his PDC comments. What has been clear from the outset is that DS needs to keep his mouth shut. His public interventions with Zola were totally disruptive. Fortunately he seems to have been told or decided to let DG lead the PR side. I find Brady’s Sun column a total embarrassment to the club. She’s a businesswomen and should keep to that side of things. However, to suggest that DS and DG bailed out WHU just for money just doesn’t make sense when you look at the numbers properly. Everyone now says with the OS and selling the Boleyn, loads of dosh etc and that could be the outcome but they did take a very big gamble on that (and still are). I think people might also consider the age of these two blokes. They’ve made their millions already. They’re investing in WHU to make it a success and they will make money if they do. But let’s be clear, there are a lot better investments than a footie club, even West Ham, with £100m debt. My biggest concern is that DG is clearly not in good health and I think he is the good half of the ownership. I completely agree that so far the consultation with the fans re: the OS has been a joke. The Q&A snippets coming out right now are near-to-useless. We should be seeing much, much more about the stadium views and we definitely need to know ticket price indications (that, after all, has been the big promise).
On the pitch, I thought BFS was a good appointment to get us back up and he did it, just – like you say, as he should have done with our squad. Now I think 3 years of BFS stability is what the club needs. But we will have to take the style of football he plays, which is something I don’t enjoy watching a lot of time. Frustrating best describes it. Give me 3 seasons of stable but dull football and mid-table finishes, clearing the debts, then let in a new manager that can take us higher. Maybe it will be PDC if he can prove he has the quality, and some self-control, at the top level.
I have to say grayster, even on the points you disagree with me on I can somewhat agree with you if that makes any sense. Thanks for reading!
For this site, this article is of reasonable quality however given the inherent lack of worth in the majority of this website that is not saying much.
I must disagree regarding your statemnet – “We should have easily won that league with the squad we had, that is my opinion” Nothing is guaranteed in any league, in any sport. I’d say that given the amount of money and squad resources that Leicester and Wolves have they should be topping the league yet that isn’t the case.
Finances – I really have to disagree with the negative connotations regarding the money aspect of your piece and associated comments. As West Ham fans, would DS & DG not want to see their club prosper? How much do you think they would receive from the sale of the Boleyn Ground? £25m? Is that not a drop in the ocean compared to their combined net worth of circa £800m? “It’s all about the money” is an oft quoted phrase about our owners but how much truth is there to that? How many businessmen would take over a company with such debts? How did they get the club ‘on the cheap’ if anything that price no looks to be inflated in comparison to other club sales. Also why would two men entering the twilight of their careers (now 64 and 76) want to be burdened in such a way. Do you not think that at 80 Gold will have other things to worry about rather than making a few more pounds for the inheritance? In terms time & effort against profit, a football club is not a good investment if that is your motive even with a rented stadium within sight. In terms of assets, the price of West Ham will decrease following the move to the OS and the club would no longer be able to secure loans against this property (like Tony Fernandes has had to this week with QPR for £15m) Again how people can complain about DG and DS after having witnessed the disastrous Terry Brown for so long is completely maddening.
Style of football – I must say the uninformed diatribe regarding “hoof ball” is slightly embarassing. Having been to the majority of the matches home and away this season I have to defend somewhat our style of play. Detractors in the media have dismissed us as ‘longball merchants’ and utilising ‘hoofball’ but this contrary to our actual play. At home we have played good passing football with and away we have tried to be as resilient as possible. Some people have very short memories – the poor football played under Curbishley, the lack of basics under Zola, the humiliating losses under Redknapp. I don’t think Allardyce is the answer in the long term, but he has instilled stability which has been much needed.
Apart from these points not an atrocious piece.
AA Gill
Hi AA Gill,
Agreed your first 2 points are areas that are open to debate and I understand where you are coming from.
With the last point I am a season ticket holder so my view on our football isn’t just based on what pundits say, however i accept it if you think we play decent level of football.
Thank you very much for commenting, I appreciate it.
Others might be taken in but I ain’t. Get behind the club! You’re just a troll pretending you’re not with, your polite responses. You tell me you didn’t get a buzz from tonights performance. If not then Season ticket my arse, maybe with Spurs!!
I have a season ticket mate and last night was incredible. Has it been like that all season? No, so don’t pretend one game is going to change my opinion of Big Sam. Calling me a childish mug is all well and good but resorting to that is more childish than anything I have said. I don’t like Big Sam, nothing you say is going to change that, end of.
How pathetic was that article West Ham have been floundering for years because people like you live in fantasy land, we play great football, when? not since Redknapp, Di Canio would be better for us than Allardyce what rubbish, Allardyce if given time will make West Ham a permanent fixture in the Premier League . Honest West Ham people are fed up with loosing without any fight,team shape,plan or future objectives we now have these and to build anything a strong foundation is critical and in football your foundation is making yourself hard to beat so that even not playing to your full potential skill wise you can get a result, just look at Man Utd year after year.
The comments by board members on Di Canio were totally justified and they were crystal clear, that he needs to be 100% honest if he is or not a fascist they never said he was a facist simply that he needed to declare his position.
Also the Davids have saved West Ham without a doubt and have put up a lot of their own cash and again why people take digs at them i just do not understand.
Your article is in my opinion is a load of nonsense , Di Canio better than Allardyce at this time Nonsense, The Davids have not helped West Ham Nonsence.
All West Ham supporters who know theior football know that Allardyce will make us a stable force and so far we can see he is being backed by the Davids.
Where are you now Hugh? Great performance tonight and if I’m not wrong a lot of good football played?
Last night was great, I loved it but I am sorry, don’t come on here and start talking about one performance claiming that is what this whole season has been like because it hasn’t.