What a month February has been for the long-suffering Hammers. We went into the month having waited ages since we’d last strung back-to-back wins together, and now, as we’ve played our last game of the month, we’ve won four games in a row and need to look back to the 18th of January for our last league loss.
It’s a wonderful turn of fortunes for a West Ham squad that spent most of 2013 dancing in and around the relegation zone. The entire team has pulled together in excellent fashion, and are putting in performances that aren’t always pretty, but are full of passion and ending in points.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, and I never ever thought these words would spill from my lips, but surely, after the run we’ve had, Big Sam must be a shoe-in for February’s Barclays Premier League manager of the month?
I have heard that the manger of the month award is a kiss of death for the next match, but the turnaround West Ham are experiencing is a truly wonderful achievement for a manager who had to deal with many of his own fans wanting him hung, drawn and quartered mere months ago.
Sam is getting wonderful performances out of players who seemed lost at times earlier this season— in particular, getting James Tomkins and James Collins working well together and also Matt Taylor, a player many of us expected to be surplus to requirements this season, has put in some excellent performances whilst starting in the first team. The best player improvement is the return of the Kevin Nolan we remembered from last year. Suddenly the man is sharp, appropriately positioned, and scoring goals.
Sam Allardyce is not a man who lost the dressing room; this is a man that was faced with a tremendous challenge, and while we’ve still got quite a few games to go before the whistle finally blows and we stay up, we’re now going into games believing we can and will get something out of them. The difference in attitude is clearly visible in the players, and it’s leading to results.
Love him or hate him, it’s tough to find a better candidate for manager of the month. We’ve won every game we played in February, an exceptional achievement when remembering that every one of those was more or less a six-pointer—and even more amazing when considering that no other club has won all of their February Barclays Premier League games.
Sam, you’re not always my favourite– but this month, you have been the best of the bunch, and have certainly earned acknowledgment of that. Keep up the great work.
Yes… please give the man some credit! He’s doing the job for which he was hired- keep us up!
It’s been a fantastic month, and I hope everyone remembers that fact in April and May when we slide down the table.
Everton will be a tough game. I’d be more than happy to see us walk away with 1 point. Let’s just hope that we play as a “team” …and that Howard gives up another own goal.
Here’s to hoping… COYI!
Well said Emily. These days supporters are so fickle and can’t see the wood for the tree’s, as it was obvious too me that:-
1. Big Sam is one of the MOST experienced premiership managers in the game today.
2. When we started to get our players back from injury etc the results would come.
The second season is a crucial one and a sense of realism needed to be adopted.The club is being run well and the crippling debt is being turned around. The chairmen are doing “everything” possible to drive this club forward without jeopardising the club Or their personal fortunes and supporters NEED to “See” and “Understand” this rather than have this deluded image of the citehs & chelski’s of this world.
We’re far from safe but the turnaround has begun. COYI
Who knew that “19th century football” could be so effective!?!
…or exciting!
Watching us score on the counter play is awesome! Who could deny that Jarvis’ goal (albeit a tad offsides) wasn’t thrilling to watch?
BFS was asked this question after the Southampton game and said he didn’t want the award. Think he’s seen that previous winners have had a nightmare after winning it.