There is a significant section of the West Ham support which I think, will never truly accept Big Sam as being our manager. For those supporters, he will at best be considered as a necessary evil, there to stabilise the club in a time of uncertainty.
As far as I can remember he has never had a song sung about him, and he has certainly never received a great deal of support from fan forums etc. And during the poor first half to this season, the attacks on Sam Allardyce became more and more vociferous, to a point where many were demanding his head, with more restlessness in the Upton Park crowd during match days, and even talk of making demonstrations during the recent match at home to Newcastle United.
However, it is hard for me to understand all the bile that has been directed at Allardyce. I know this may be easy to say now that the side appear to have turned a corner, with three straight victories, pushing us up into the mid-table places, but he really has achieved a fantastic amount at the club.
There have been so many memorable moments at the club since he has been in charge, and fair share of exciting matches, yet you get the feeling he will never receive the accolades he deserves from many Hammers fans.
Has any other manager in recent history achieved what Allardyce has? Particularly during some of the difficult periods he had to negotiate? I don’t think so.
In his first season he took over a side in turmoil after the previous relegation season under Avram Grant, full of players who were either totally out of form and confidence or simply couldn’t care less. So he had to virtually rebuild the squad and to have missed out on automatic promotion by a matter of two points was a great effort considering. There were some great games from that campaign, most notably the brilliant victory against Millwall playing with 10 men for much the match, and several thrashings, such as the 6-0 demolition of Brighton. Then of course there were the Play-offs, which culminated in a dramatic 2-1 victory over Blackpool in the final at Wembley. No one can tell me that wasn’t exciting or nerve racking!
Since being back into the Premier League, the Hammers have finished in a very decent tenth position in the first season back and are now currently sitting in eleventh this campaign, despite the terrible first half to the season. After that dark period under Gianfranco Zola and Avram Grant I think any supporter would have ripped your arm off at the socket for that kind of comfort and security.
Since being back in the big time under Allardyce we have seen a brilliant 3-1 win at home to the then Champions League holders Chelsea, notable draws against Manchester United and Liverpool, an incredible 3-0 victory at the home of our most hated foe, Tottenham Hotspur this season, then to rub it in another win at the same place to book a spot in the last four of the Capital One Cup.
Most recently, a brave defensive display saw us gain a draw at Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, upon which followed three straight 2-0 wins to lift the club out of the relegation places. This most recent run of form has meant this is the first time we have achieved three straight Premier league wins in a row since 2007 and the first time we have kept four clean sheets in a row since 1985. You can add to those statistics that we currently hold the most clean sheets in the league this season, ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, which really is an incredible achievement.
So why so many fans have never taken to Big Sam is a bit of a mystery. Is it because he talks with a gruff northern accent and has his perceived direct long ball style of play reputation? If Alan Pardew had done the same job as Allardyce he would be revered, there is little doubt about that. As for style of play, is it really that bad? Personally I certainly enjoy watching West Ham nowadays as compared to when the likes of Curbishley, Zola and Grant were at the helm.
Has Allardyce made mistakes since being here? Yes. Is there areas to criticise him over? Yes. But does anyone seriously think a Di Canio or Glenn Hoddle is going to do a better job? I think it is about time more supporters started recognising the excellent work Big Sam has done at West Ham.
One final point is the attitude of the players. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better team spirit amongst a West Ham side in the years I’ve been supporting them than is the case now. Look at the never say die attitude that won us a point at Stamford Bridge, and contributed towards that solid base that has helped see the team keep so many clean sheets. Just look at the celebrations of the likes of Adrian, James Collins and Mark Noble when we win a match. It is genuine passion and emotion which is so great to see for supporters in an age of mercenaries. Do we really want to risk all that with a change of manager any time soon?
I’m coming round to Sam I think he’s the best manager we could hope for at the present time. Maybe it’s because I used to play as a defender. But I love to see a team working hard defensively. All working for each other. All hands to the pumps. Call it nineteenth century park the bus if you like I enjoy watching it but more importantly it shows me togetherness in the face of adversity is for the team for their teammates and also for the manager Togetherness in the face of negativity from some of their own fans. Togetherness from the owners sticking by the manager when it would have been easier to sack him. Fans sticking with their team through tough times. I like big SAMs philosophic of how the players need to earn the right to play football expansively. No good playing attractive passing football if you lose the game three nil. Defensive duties first and foremost. Get yourself in the game. Earn the right to play attractive football and unfortunately when you’re down the bottom you need to dig out results. I’ve no doubt in seasons to come higher league finishes better players. Trophies. The west ham way will come our way eventually
Seem to remember The Arse having a great defence in the old days when they were winning stuff.
Lets get the forward balance too and it may be surprising, 63/65/66 were brilliant years
but we can’t live in the past forever.
Man City £200 M Plus / Chelski about the same WHU Under 80 you do the maths personally I think with a fit squad we are punching well above our weight.
Spot on mate! You have just summed up what I and it seems a very large number of fans are saying/thinking! but get drowned out by self serving moaners who have never liked big Sam and never will! Big Sam has brought a cold hard dose of reality to the club with a hearty dollop of pragmatism! He spoke the truth from day one, the west ham way is all very fine and good but it ain’t won us nothing for over thirty years! An un palatable fact that alienated sections of our support from that day. It was a necessary evil and the teamwork, organisation and the way the team fights for everybody is testimony to this new approach. I fully agree you have to earn the right to play and only then can you turn on the style. The club is like that at the moment, after years of chronic mishandling both on and of the field big Sam has come in and stopped the rot. He has put down the foundations and largely gotten the club back on its feet and fit for purpose. Now the point of the exercise, as it always has been is to graft onto our new found defensive resilience, some real attacking intent and flair! Whether big Sam is the man for this part of the job or just the man brought in to stabilise the club ahead of the move to the OS, remains to be seen! I for one hope he gets the chance! COYI!
Give the owners and big Sam a break if it wasn’t for the owners and big Sam wheeling and dealing in so called past it professional s we would be paying exorbitant wages to mercenaries who couldn’t give a s h it about the club or the manager what big sam as done as made us hard too beat may not be pretty but why go 85 minutes playing the west ham way too lose two goals in last few minutes rather play the other way round and win two nil coyi
I do not remember a game like that to play that crap and still win, I’ll have that all day long.
AT last a good sensible piece about Sam, He has done a great job and as you say you can see the players love playing under him. The only LONG BALL i see is from Collins, and i have to say sometimes i hear the Fans shout get it up the pitch. I think Sam is on a hell road to nowhere, BUT does it bother him and would it bother me NO. As long as the players are happy and we are getting results winning WHY shouldn’t we all get behind the team and Sam if you don’t like watching DON’T But for me who has been a Season Ticket Holder for many many years i am happy and have watched some good Football being played this year. So if you have run him down NOW give him the credit he and they deserve. COYI’S
Wow! Thank you for a refreshing article.
It’s nice to see someone, besides myself, take a step back to view the bigger picture.
Hi guys could you please read and share, and if you can, please donate!!
I am either getting a Spurs Tattoo or I am getting an Anti-Spurs Tattoo, it all depends on which one of my pages gets to £500.00 first. This is for the charity Save the Children and will go towards making children in this country as well as other countries over the world have better lives and better opportunities. Oh and in case it wasn’t obvious I AM A HAMMER!!
http://www.justgiving.com/Lewis-Donellan/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=Lewis-Donellan&utm_campaign=pfp-share
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Great post, a victory for common sense which a great many supporters have. The dissenting voices of some supporters are those who must be living in a parallel universe or are too young to have known West Ham teams of the past.
I could list the many many reasons why some of the NEGATIVE comments that I read about our manager, chairmen and team are utter nonsense spouted by some of our deluded supporters, but I will list a few.
Financial meltdown? It seems that although it was only a few years ago, some have already forgotten how amazing it is that we are where we are right now (Chairmen & Manager). Whilst we’re waiting for a BILLIONAIRE to fall from the sky we will have to make do with STEADY progress. EXPECT steady progress up till a year or two before moving to the new stadium…………after that, investment etc etc & we will attract and get MUCH better players (FACT of life!) and with that SUCCESS! Success is built upon STABILITY, NOT the boom and bust and revolving doors of managers, players and relegation which always follows, along with financial meltdown.
Unfortunately our supporters are a reflection of society today……..amongst our masses are the “I want it NOW” generation. Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn’t have made it past his second season with most of you lot. But LUCKILY such fickle people AREN’T in charge of the hiring and firing of managers at this club!
Very well said my friend!
Stability is everything.