We’re nearing the end of Sam Allardyce’s second season in charge of West Ham; although he has impressed with his successful promotion campaign and seemingly solid first season back in the Barclays Premier League, he is yet to give any of the upcoming Boleyn talent a real chance to prove what they’ve got.
There are several players who are touted for a bright future, such as Ravel Morrison, Rob Hall and Blair Turgott. All been sent on loan at some stage this season, probably rightly so given the fact they are all young and the experience gained from a club in the Football League such as Morrison’s Birmingham City will be invaluable and hopefully allow them to come back for a busy pre-season and some involvement in the first team come next season.
This season, I think Allardyce could have given the younger players such as Jordan Spence and Jack Collison a chance when Mark Noble got injured. Although West Ham’s number 32 Gary O’Neil covered well, he isn’t getting any younger and Collison could have done with a run in the side for confidence and to establish himself again, after a troubled time with injuries.
Survival was always going to be the key for us this season and Allardyce, although with rather unattractive football, has all but ensured West Ham will be playing top flight football again next season. With the likes of O’Neil, Taylor and Nolan all getting older, Nolan especially showing a problem with his quite frankly, awful form at times this season, I hope to see Morrison get a chance to prove himself, and to show us Hammers that there is more to him than the rumoured bad attitude.
I don’t think it is rumoured, I think its well established he has off the field issues that could disrupt the dressing room, which makes me question whether he’s worth the risk (I hope I’m wrong). I must say I disagree with you’re statement about unattractive football, as being a season ticket holder I believe we’ve played some of our best football for years this season, and the way we can mix direct football with short passing means we’ve been able to be more than a match for many teams this year. You need only look at a small Catelonian team that got thrashed by Munich on Tuesday to see how ‘tiki take’ football has its short comings
I agree about Jordan Spence. It’s stupid how he didn’t get another chance after his superb game against Man.Utd, and is already better than Guy Demel.
I hope Ravel Morrison does well. But, not too well as they usually get snapped up by Chelscum and Spuds.
To get in sams team you need to either have played for Bolton or Sam before or 5 years experience in the prem. I would love to see some youth given a chance but it wont happen on his watch, just hope Sam proves me wrong. Not sure who he has scouting cos the unproven players he has bought are either crap or not given a chance to prove themselves.