With ugly rumours swirling on both sides regarding the reasons behind West Ham star Ravel Morrison’s loan move to QPR, I would be shocked if Morrison ever pulled on a claret and blue top again—unless he signs for Aston Villa or Burnley or another similarly coloured team. It would take a small miracle to get him on the pitch again for the Hammers given what’s being said as to why he’s had to head off to QPR.
It’s hard to determine what is true, what is conjecture, and what are outright lies regarding the reasons for the departure, but what we do know for sure is that while it seemed like Morrison was a perfect fit for West Ham, and that West Ham seemed to be a great place for Morrison to grow into a first team superstar, it seems to be all over for the relationship between player and club.
An article containing behind-the-scenes information which must have been provided by a close source who may or may not be (but probably is) Ravel’s agent has been printed in the Guardian which firmly points the finger of blame at Sam Allardyce for putting too much pressure on Morrison to switch agents to Allardyce’s preferred agent Mark Curtis. If this is true– which sadly, it probably is if previous reports of a similar nature are anything to go by—then it is absolutely wrong of Allardyce to employ these sort of tactics in the football club, and you can understand why Morrison would want to leave.
The trouble for Morrison is that he’s not exactly known for having the healthiest attitude, and fans don’t get to have a factual insight into what he’s like in the dressing room or on the training ground (although how much more interesting would today’s open training session have been if he hadn’t gone off to QPR!)
Rumours abound that he argues regularly with teammates, misses training sessions, and although the Guardian article states he’s turned his back on late night partying, it neglects to mention the video posted on social media of Morrison in a pub on Christmas night until 4 am— that’s the night before the Arsenal game, mind.
The club aren’t able to confirm or deny the reported in-house problems, and it’s almost better for the club to keep silent, because if the problems are true, then Morrison’s sale price will certainly drop. Yes, of course there will be football clubs who will be willing to take a chance on that level of talent, but it’s also important to remember (particularly when considering the blame directed at Allardyce) that we are not the first team to give up on Ravel. He was too much for Sir Alex to handle as well—even with Ferguson calling him the best 14 year old he’d ever seen (via Rio Ferdinand.) Manchester United were the first club to give up on Morrison, and sold him for an almost unthinkably low price given what he’s capable of on the pitch, so the situation currently happening at West Ham can’t be new to Ravel.
It is truly a shame that it didn’t work out for Ravel and West Ham. He is without question one of the most talented young footballers I have ever seen. However, that being said, being the next big thing in football doesn’t just require pure outstanding talent – you need to have the head for it too, and to have a hard work ethic to support and nurture that talent. It doesn’t sound like Ravel yet has the head or the work ethic to get the most out of his gifts.
It’s a shame that we can’t keep and nurture his talent. If we were a comfortably mediocre team sat firmly in 11th place it might be a different story, but as a team still having to avoid the drop and needing positivity, is a player who is breathtaking on the pitch, but reportedly stirring up fights and bad feeling in the dressing room the most useful person to have at the club?
In the same breath, if Allardyce is putting this amount of pressure on players to switch agents, this must be looked in to and stopped, as it is certainly off-putting to players, and is an equally unhealthy attitude to have at a football club.
There are no winners here, and regardless of the fault (as it sounds like it could be equally appropriated to both club and player), it will always be a shame that we weren’t able to be the team that got it right with Morrison. There is no questioning that he knows what to do with a ball, but I had such high hopes we’d be the club that got him to commit fully and properly to nurturing, developing, and using that outstanding talent.
I don’t see him playing for us again but I hope, for his sake, that there is a club out there who manages to get through to him and does manage to get the best from him—and I can only hope that when we next find ourselves playing him, that we then manage to stop him scoring.
It won’t be easy.
big sam don’t like youngsters
I must take issue with the word “star” being used to describe Ravel as he hasn’t been around long enough or for that matter done enough to warrant that tag .At best he is a “prospect”and
the jury is still out .He certainly has some talent ,but if he he keeps on reading the “S” word
there is a danger he will believe his own headlines ,which i suspect is the case .The only person who can sort him out is the guy he sees in the mirror each morning ,and in the near future he needs to take a long hard look in that mirror and decide what he wants to be .I really wish him well and hope he can find the missing components that can mean the difference between a ” star ” and “prospect ” who didn’t fulfill his potential .
Agreed!
If this business with the agents is true, then I wonder if there is more to the story. I remember reading that one of Sir Alex’s problems with Rav was that he & his agent were asking for top wages after he’d made one substitute appearance for the first team. Rumours are that they are demanding top wages at West Ham now & let’s face it the club won’t want to commit to big wages for 3 years if he doesn’t settle in long term. Maybe, just maybe, the club are suggesting Rav changes agent to bring some sense into the negotiations.
Just a thought.
I think you are on to something here mate. You have got to ask questions of an agent who doesn’t think that such disruptive behaviour at the worlds biggest club with the worlds best manager, might harm his career? If ravel had knuckled down and behaved himself at Man U then even at his early age he would have been a superstar! I can’t believe this little fact wouldn’t have occurred to a half decent agent and that he might have mentioned it before sir Alex showed him the door! Maybe I’m wrong and asking for top wages after one substitute appearance was a better avenue to pursue?! Finally shouldn’t somebody like the FA look into how this lad has been advised? Because from going from odds on superstardom at the worlds biggest club to qpr in no time at all, there’s got to be something wrong?!
Sign of the times! Agents hold more power of the players and clubs these days. Pity a talented young player is going to suffer for it in the long run, especially as the agent probably can’t kick his own arse let alone a football!
At the end of the day I think that all this he said, she said stuff over agents is irrelevant. Judging by what has gone on before with the lad, one unsavoury incident after another, it was only a matter of time before morrisson was going to implode again and wear out his welcome at yet another club before really necessary! I have fears that the lads career path is already inevitably spiralling into oblivion! A terrible shame a terrible waste!
A good balanced view Emily. Let’s face it, we don’t know what has gone on, or is going on. Ravel is on our ‘ Asset Register’ as something approaching £10m. We need that money!!! And bfs i am sure has a part to play in this. Ravel was our top scorer pre season, and our best passer according to statistics. So WHY didn’t he get a start??? Was it because we had to pay Man U £25k per game???? When he did get games he was, on occasion, played out of position. As a holding mid fielder!!!
And this business/rumour about agents has followed bfs through Bolton, Blackburn and Newcastle!!!!! LONG before Morrison became an issue. Morrison has huge potential, worth possible £10m, and we send him to Harry!!! Badly handled in so many ways. Well done to all those involved!!