So first weekend of the New Year and if we flashed back circa 20 years ago, clubs, fans and the media would be getting themselves into a proper frenzy with regards the most romantic football weekend of the season, FA Cup 3rd round weekend.
So in 2014, we instead find the majority of clubs finding this great competition a hindrance in their already cluttered season, while your younger fans, the sky generation and certain sections of the media will struggle to understand why the older generation of fans find this dismissive attitude to the competition so alarming.
When I was growing up as a child in the 1980s the FA Cup really meant something, Cup Final Day was almost as exciting as Christmas Day! Sadly I was too young to remember our win in 1980, but the fact remains this is the last major thing we won as a club. As I grew older I soon realised West Ham would not ever win the league and as such the cups were our source of glory.
Now I know we support football clubs through thick and thin (plenty of thin for us) and you stick by them regardless, however, surely you support a club in the hope that one day they will win something and give you that glory moment? In 1991 we navigated a cup run all way to the semi-finals and I don’t recall it really derailing our promotion that season? Granted in true West Ham fashion we lost the Division 2 title on the last day of season by losing at home to Notts County, but I digress! The point which I am trying to make is why in the modern game is it deemed as almost unprofessional to combine a cup run with your league season?
Now granted given our current predicament I would not blame Sam Allardyce for fielding a weakened team Sunday, however, given our injury crisis, he would seem to have little choice. But if we lie down and die in the Capital One Cup semi-final against Manchester City, I will be dismayed, sadly this would appear to be the case, given the recent comments from the Manager.
So why do our domestic cups mean so little these days? The expansion of the European Cup, to a Champions League format for me is the major nail in the coffin. The Champions League is a cash cow for the big clubs and the TV companies, the bigger it gets the more it takes over and I am fairly confident that within the next 10 years the Premier League as we know it will not exist. The big clubs of Europe will be playing in a European Super League, where we will be as a club lord only knows?!
The cups will continue to whimper on but sadly I now think they are past the point of being rescued. The football I grew up with and fell in love with no longer really exists. If success is now simply securing top-flight status so that the money rolls in, then you must ask yourself what really is the point?
For the nostalgic record one of my best memories from the Boleyn Ground in season 97/98, a FA Cup replay against Arsenal when John Hartson equalized for us at the Bobby Moore End, the stadium rocked beyond belief, blimey even Arsenal still thought the FA Cup was important then! We eventually lost the penalty shoot out, proper ecstasy then agony, but hey is that what being a football fan is all about?
Given West Ham’s current position in the Premier League, I don’t really care about the FA Cup. I mean rotate a few of the youngsters. Put in a good shift, but don’t kill yourselves. I’m not anxiously wanting a result at Forest today. In the league, we are actually in a worse position after 20 games than what we were with Avram Grant in 2011, when after game 20 & a 1-1 draw then with Everton we were sitting on 17pts. We then went on to beat Wolves 2-0 in the 21st game & went onto 20 pts, but no, what got West Ham relegated in 2010-11, was that they lost 7 & drew just 1 of their last 8 games of the season. In other words they totally folded and lost their nerve at the end of the fight! If Sam is still in charge at the tail end of this season, then I know that he will put up a far better fight than that, but refer to my article in the previous column titled”FIVE things we learned about West Ham against Fulham” as I really think Sam & West Ham should part company now, after today’s game. We shall see?
The players themselves have a lot to do with our current plight not just BFS. Our grit & determination seem to have disappeared. The way our illustrious skipper was sent off against Fulham made my heart sink. His actions undoubtedly influenced the outcome of the game. (One couldn’t be blamed for regarding two sendings off for the same player in such a short space of time with a little suspicion).
Our captain should lead by example in making every tackle count, win 50-50 balls & every second ball to his utmost ability and urging the others likewise. Winston Reid for skipper I say. He’s the most competitive player in our side.
Great article. Totally agree. First game I can remember was the 76 final, Bobby Stokes beating the Manx. The 80 final is a vivid picture. I remember playing football in the street straight after the game, being Sir Trevor of course. Sadly as a kid I thought West Ham winning the cup was the norm. We were in Rumbelows Milk Sherpa Van the year after of course. But now, where’s the romance. All money now. The cup has been destroyed. Today summed up why Sam will never fit at West Ham. He doesn’t get us at all does he. And maybe the owners don’t either. I appreciate they saved us. But what for? If this is the future, just hanging on to the riches of the premiership. I’m not interested. I yearn for a return for old school West Ham values. Having a go. Providing entertainment. If the 2 David’s really bought us as a dream. Is this it? All I can say are you’re dreams aren’t too exciting. Sorry I’m just ranting now, but bored and sick of it. Won’t spend a penny more on West Ham lining other peoples pockets until something changes…