I’m starting to get really confused about the whole Ravel Morrison situation. With him set to go on loan to Championship side QPR tomorrow for the remainder of the season, it’s left me wondering what has gone wrong with the player who was just a few months ago being hailed as our future and a contender for a place in the World Cup squad.
On one side, I’m not his biggest fan. To me, he has had some bright moments but that doesn’t mean he can be selfish on the ball and I don’t think he is always as good as he thinks he is. It’s been reported that he thinks he should be on much higher wages, putting him on a par with more senior players at the club, but I think he needs to prove himself more before this happens.
There is also some mystery around his apparent ‘groin injury.’ Big Sam has said that medical staff have passed him as fit to play but he is still complaining of pain in the area. However, if he goes on loan to QPR as is reported, I bet he’ll go straight into their first team.
Big Sam told the Independent: “He says he feels it occasionally. Instead of gritting your teeth and getting on with it… he’s not the type. Lots and lots of players throughout the country will be playing with a similar type of injury that the medical team say ‘you can carry on, it’s not a problem’.”
He added: “You have a lot of other players that are challenging his (Morrison’s) position and doing a better job than him. I’m always disappointed if no one gives me selection problems.”
To me, his comments reveal an underlying frustration with Morrison, and it would definitely seem like he was having a dig at the midfielder for his apparent lack of commitment and fight. It would appear that those attitude problems at Manchester United and Birmingham City maybe resurfacing…
There have also been rumours circulating for a while that the reason he wants to leave is because Big Sam and some of the players have been pressuring him to swap agents to the same one Allardyce and them are linked to. This is allegedly being brought up at training every day, with Daniel Taylor from the Guardian reporting:
‘Towards the end of last year, Morrison was invited to a meeting with the football agent Mark Curtis to see if he wanted to become one of his clients. Curtis does this a fair bit with Allardyce’s players. At West Ham, he either represents or has links with Allardyce, Kevin Nolan, James Tomkins, Jack Collison, Matt Jarvis, Andy Carroll, Jussi Jaaskelainen and Adrian. Look through his history and there is a fairly astounding pattern of players signing up to him from Allardyce teams.
Morrison was not keen but, since then, his complaint is that he has felt under considerable pressure from Allardyce and Nolan to change his mind, claiming it is brought up on an almost daily basis. His grievance is that he wanted to go into training to learn and improve, not to have endless conversations about an agent he did not want to employ.’
I also heard that Morrison had worn a wire in a meeting with Allardyce regarding this agent, but whether that is true or not remains to be seen!
I honestly am at a loss as to what is going on and whether it is Ravel who is at fault or the club. As I previously mentioned, I haven’t been hugely impressed with some of his play, but if he is only not featuring because of this agent situation, that’s quite frankly ridiculous.
To me, there’s something more than meets the eye going on here, and I wish there was some more transparency as to what it is. What do you think of Morrison going on loan to QPR? It’ll certainly be interesting to see how him and Joey Barton get on! Leave me a comment or tweet me at @alwaysintune.
Allardyce is a crook. Ravel doesn’t want to change agent and I doubt he wants to play football for Sam as he is played out of position etc. Nothing particularly strange about it. As much as the club and yourself would like to place the blame on Ravel, everyone was singing his praises a few months ago so I have no qualms about believing this is all of Sam’s doing. We have lost one of the country’s biggest talents and there is no excuses for that.
100% agree Fat Sam and the board are ruining the club and are all in it for personal gain.
I think Ravel would rather be a ” big fish in a little pool ” and walk in to the first team , rather than fight for his place in the team at a bigger club . His CV seems to show this emerging pattern Man Utd to West Ham , loan to Birmingham ,Back to WHU ,wants to go to Fulham but ends up at QPR on loan .If he really felt he was being pressured to change agents ,every firm in the country has an internal complaints procedure that has to be adhered to . I think this is just another excuse from Ravel to justify why he is always right and the rest of the world is wrong . Wouldn’t swap him for Mark Noble any day . We need players up for the fight not neurotic show ponies .
That response might have had some validity if WHUFC was a “big pond” haha. The rubbish people come up with is laughable. Nobes and Rav are completely different players so the comparison is mindless.
Best rid I think he has been on strike effectively. West ham are keeping quite so they can get a few quid for him hopefully:-)
To RVT ,YOU HAVE MISINTERPRETED MY REPLY , SO I DON’T THINK YOU HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO ADD ANY THING TO THIS DEBATE .
Unfortunately Pete it seems you lack any understanding at all of what I responded with and turn your caps lock off you nonce.
RVT – curious on you original post. Is it actually based on anything beyond media hearsay and your clear hatred of Fat Sam? Do you have some insight as I would be very interested to know the truth about this situation. I’m no fan of Sam and his football and I think his management this year has been poor (from striker situation to Nolan commitment). He has been lucky that we have strung these wins together recently – we have had a lot of luck and Adrian has been a star. And his Cheshire Cat “I told you so” smile is frankly as annoying as his blame-everybody-but-himself when we are losing mode (or his Allardyci spurs victory mode). He is a hard man to warm to tactically or by personality. That being said, Ravel has shown on the pitch (as well as some obvious skills and flair) his negative side: kicking off with Zaha in u21s, Ward at Palace and being a lazy git because he clearly couldn’t be arsed as it seems he didn’t agree with his position on the pitch. I think if I was the Sam, I might well have floored him. My guess he has less than a 50% chance of making it. But like comment above, it is a total guess. One thing we can probably agree on is that Rav won’t play again for us whilst BFS is still the manager.
I agree with peter, he has become to big for he’s boots, since the Tottenham game i think.
I hadn’t picked up on the whole agent business before but now you can put two and two together. There has always been some strange selection choices by Alladyce and maybe this is the reason why.
Leaving that a side, I cannot understand why when we are constantly having injury crisis’s at the club we are happy for one of our first team squad players (and one who has played a positive part this season) to go out on loan. If whilst Morrison is at QPR I see Alladyce on the TV again bemoaning his lack of fit players, especially in midfield then I for one will not be impressed.
Finally, although I no fan of Harry Redknapp (and wasn’t even when he was our manager, one should do what he did to Billy Bonds and be allowed to get away with it) if he sees something in Ravel and believes it will be good for his club then I trust his judgement more than the fool we’ve got in charge of WHU at present.
You are right there rvt mark and Morrison are completely different mark is a term player.
If the bloke doesn’t want to play for us get rid of him. I was unlucky enough to be at the city ground when our youngsters got taught a lesson and Morrison couldn’t be bothered to put a shift in ( with the other first team players ) The thing is he scored that world class goal against the spuds and all of a sudden he is the new Messiah.
We are on our best form all season and have been playing better without him so let him go on loan and get a nice wedge of dosh for him come the summer.COYI
I find this all so sad. If the young man does not want to play for West Ham then he should advise the people concerned be honest and depart. Mr Morrison has a lot to learn about life and his trade iennFootball. If he wants to earn more then he should work for it on the football field. He will learn very quickly that you get nothing for nothing in this world. The Mamager should sell him quickly before he taints other players in the club.
I think this is why Sam was trying to introduce him into the team slowly but in the end the clamour to have him in the starting 11 after one or two decent cameos (and injuries) was too much to resist. It’s a real shame as clearly the kids mental state is still as fragile as it was when at Man Utd – it appears he may have started believing his own hype and after one (yes, one) decent performance at Spurs (and to be fair, they were so poor that day I reckon I could have had a good game) he’s demanding big money – it just doesn’t work like that in the real world. This debacle will probably put paid to his chances of making the squad for Brazil. However, on the flip side unless you are personally involved there’s just no way of knowing the full story and it’s entirely possible this is all West Ham’s (well, BFS’s) fault, a real shame as it was looking so promising for once.
Very interesting comments so far. This is the first I have heard about the Agent problem. If there is any truth in it – and we have regularly heard about the “benefits???” of BFS being able to sign players who use the same agent as him – then WHU have a big problem that the owners turn a blind eye to, and that problem is BFS.
The list of top class strikers that have refused to sign with us during the last two transfer windows, virtually always due to the fact that they will not play under BFS, goes on and on. So many have negotiated terms and even passed medicals with us and, when they sit down with BFS to discuss their role in the team, they change their mind at the last minute and go elsewhere.
That Nolan starts every week explains the Agent cancer at WHU
“You can lead a horse to the water but you CANNOT make it drink!”……… This is pretty much Ravel’s M.O.
Whatever his gripe, with his previous record, I’m not ready to back him over anyone at West Ham. The world of football is littered with great players with little or no discipline who end up on the scrapheap, Ravel might just end up that way. Remember Robin Friday? Great footballer but didn’t quite make it because of discipline.
Harry is a collector of players but is not able to coach or control players of ability. He loves flair but failed to utilise Adel Taarabt he also failed to coach Joe Cole in his formative years to be able to use his ability in a disciplined & effective way (which is why Joe has never hit the heights he should have done).
A lot of sense in what you say, the ill informed always give credit to H for bringing through young talent but some of us remember how ill prepared JC was for the first team and remember at the same time how the beloved manager claimed that you don’t need to coach talented players just let them play. That worked out well. Well perhaps more revealingly top continental players tend to emphasise how no matter how talented you are you need guidance, can still learn no matter your natural skill level and in particular about how to develop, channel and focus it in the right way to fulfill their true talent.
It’s well documented that Man U found RM’s agent a pain up the arse and not surprised if Sam suggested he changed. I don’t see a problem with that at all. It is if he keeps revisiting it and if affecting selection but that does not seem to be the case.
WHU say under Redknapp used one agent in particular. In fact he ended up in court over him. 134 deals in all.
Even OGS at Cardiff has used the same agent for half his new signings. In fact 6 out of the first 7 signings were either via his agent friend or connected with Man Utd. K Jones the only exception. I’m sure if you go through most PL clubs you will see three agents might make up the majority of the squad.
In West Ham’s case, only two agents have more that one senior player.
Even Man Utd were dominated by two/three agents and this was players costing £10m plus each time!
Again does RM deserve a new deal? His agent signed a deal with pay increase clauses which he has not met. A new deal has been offered which he has rejected thinking he’s the bollocks despite only playing 15 times in a struggling team. Man U bent over backwards to help him and they let him go for a reason. Don’t jump to conclusions that RM is right and Sam is wrong. And get real about the role of agents in the Football world and the wider business world.
Spot on JFK!
It surprises me that so many so called supporters think “the tail should wag the dog!”
I’m not even sure if they understand the role of a manager! Alex Ferguson was without question (probably) the BEST British manager I have seen over the years and he didn’t manage by committee, it was HIS way or the HIGHWAY, (Agents included) he tried to salvage a young talented players future by moving him on. Talented as he is, he is NOT the sharpest tool in the box and his agent is looking to milk his client for all he is worth. But for some of our supporters this is the opportunity to have a go at the manager & chairmen…….WEAK!
“his agent is looking to milk his client for all he is worth” . . . . Really Cat ???
I’m not sure you understand. RM is his agent’s client, not WHU. And if RM’s agent was not looking to “milk” WHU for all RM is worth he wouldn’t be doing his job. It seems that you think the agent should be trying to “milk” WHU for something less than RM is worth.
Oh, and BTW, our supporters have more than enough opportunities (and reasons) to have a go at the manager & chairmen. They really don’t need another one.
Why not give us all an exclusive or is that your opinion John?
Will RM’s agent get a fee if he moves? Just wondered. What is RM worth?…..just games into his first season in the premiership?
You talk some……..
Dare I say “I don’t like your attitude” Cat? You seem to have all of the questions and none of the answers.
“What is RM worth?…..” You tell me. Your the one who decided that his agent was after all he was worth. When you state that “his agent is looking to milk his client for all he is worth” one would have to assume that you already know how much he is worth in order to make such a statement 🙂
Cat
I read a lot of posts on various discussions and there seems to be a split between those like me who, whilst supporting the club, are very wary and concerned about the ability of our manager and the probity of our owners, and those who for some reason feel it is disloyal to West Ham to criticise those running our club and that somehow this will effect the performances on the pitch.
The truth is quite simple: To Alladyce the club is a pay check and eventually a nice pay off when he is inevitably sacked. He has no loyal to the club, he said so much himself.
Sullivan and Gold say the right things (especially Gold). They’re are West Ham through and through, want to see the club grow to one of the biggest but I can’t help thinking we’ve heard it all before. Now they’ve sold the ground and put us in a position where we will no longer own the ground we play on. Ask Coventry fans how that ends up.
Anyway, I’m getting off the point. My original post was about our squad and our ever present injury crisis. Alladyce’s job is to manage the team and to make use of the resources he has at hand. We are not Man City where if a player doesn’t fit in perfectly with the team we can simply buy someone else. It’s up to Alladyce to keep the squad motivated, the whole squad. Not simply chuck in the towel and send anyone he can’t get on with out on loan. Lets be honest, Morrison is not the first to appear out of favour.
Martin from a supporters stand point, where were we BEFORE Big Sam arrived and where are we NOW???. If the answer to this question is that we are in a better position…….then your concerns are null and void. Would Big Sam be the ONLY manager to benefit from being dismissed? If the answer is no then you have No Point.
The selling of Upton park is an issue which splits many supporters but it tells you something when ex-players of the calibre of Billy Bonds MBE and Tony Cottee say it’s the BEST thing to happen to this club and a REAL opportunity (Would supporters rather the spuds were there instead?)…..it says it all really. (A 99 year lease is more or less owning it as far as I’m concerned).
For supporters who have an axe to grind, bide your time and wait for the proverbial to hit the fan….DON’T jump on any convenient band wagon that happens to roll along because you just end up looking a little stupid and for supporters of other clubs reading this nonsense it’s comedy gold material!
Well said Martin.
I agree with most that his leaving is a tad mysterious. History will tell the reasons why, probably sooner than later. The fact Morrison is not shouting out the problems would suggest he is the issue. I do however think Allerdyce’s time is up. I believe however the Guvnors hands are tied with him. We have won three games back to back and a draw against Chelsea which is probably more impressive than our 3 2-0 wins on the trot. Before the fanfare come out and parties start lets just see how many more games we win, we played pretty dire really so to win at Villa was a miracle. Win or lose I love the club and hope we can do enough to stay up. I am sure if Ravel plays a blinder under Rednap then the 10 million will be a nice little packet in the summer. Everyones a winner baby!!
OK Cat lets start from the beginning: It’s true that when Alladyce was appointed we’d just been relegated, so yes, statistical we are better off than that. but can you honestly say we play the way we would like them to play? Secondly, our current league position maybe a little misleading after it comes off the back of 3 very good results. Lets hope it continues but let’s not kid ourselves that we’re home and dry. Saying mine and lots of other West Ham supporters feelings are null and void is poor. you may not agree with those like me who don’t share your views on our current manager but we are entitled to have them.
No Alladyce is not the only manager who would financial benefit from being sacked. so what? He has clearly stated he has no feelings for the club, no emotional attachment so it can only be the money he’s interested in. God knows, he’ll never get another job after this one. That’s my point.
Next. It’s great that the current board have wheel out the likes of Bonds and Cottee to support the move and I can see the logic of having a bigger ground but a 99 year lease is not the same as owning the asset. We will not be able to lend against it, we will not benefit from other activities that take place there such as concerts or other sporting fixtures, we won’t even get the money from the car park. It sounds good but as I said ask Coventry fans what they think of not owning the ground and see how its worked out for them. As for Spurs, they never wanted it. It was just a leverage tool to get Harringay to agree to their plans to redevelop White Hart Lane. If the government had sat tight and called their bluff they would have disappeared. And the same goes for Orient. I would have been a lot happier if we owned it but I’ll tell you who would and who’d delighted with the current plan, Gold, Sullivan and Brady. The money from Upton Park will be in the bank, their bank, and that’s where it will stay.
As for jumping on band wagons, well I can tell you, believe me or not, I never wanted Alladyce anywhere near the managers office at WHU. didn’t want him before, don’t want him now. Would I rather we played attractive, entertaining, thrilling football or the dross we get now? you bet! In recent years the proudest I’ve been as a WHU fan was the 2006 FA cup final. We were fantastic, played out of our skins against a team that on paper we didn’t stand a chance against. And we came bloody close to winning but we lost. Give me that any day over some of the performances we’ve had over the last 18 months.
Finally, I’d like to say this. You have your opinion and you’re entitled to it. I don’t care that supporters of other clubs may find what I say funny, most have their own problems to be getting on with. But I would never say your arguments are pointless, null and void or make you look stupid. If you’re completely happy with the status quo I’m very happy for you. I’m not and I don’t think that my saying so is wrong.
Good luck to you!
COYI
Wins are all that matters. Exciting style means nothing to me if it leads to more losses. Injuries have been brutal and for a while a I was down on Big Sam. WHU is turning the corner to a small degree now and a decent chance at 4 straight. Sam has them winning and if your gonna dump after the losses you have to acknowledge the improvement. Next 4 games will be massive.
Martin is absolutely right. We are all entitled to our own opinions. I just happen to prefer seeing our team play the kind of game that we have got used to over the past 73 years (well most of them anyway) that I have have been a Hammers fan.
I happen to believe that, with a different manager who was capable of bringing the best out of a player rather than try to cast him into a role into which he doesn’t fit, Morrison would have continued to grow better and perform well for our club. Long live “The Beautiful Game”. Quite frankly, I imagine I would have had problems in the region of my stomach if I were left to sit on the bench game after game, only to watch BFS’s pet Nolan act like a moron, missing seven games in short order due to blatant, disgusting petulance against other sportsmen on the field.
Oh sorry. I forgot. It’s Morrison who cannot control his immature behavior on the field isn’t it, not Nolan 🙂
Just my opinion anyway.
I know….