On Wednesday night after West Ham had limped and stuttered to a crucial win over the ten men of Hull City a nationwide football debate has engulfed the club and its supporters.
Is it ever acceptable to boo your team off after a win? Whilst I don’t agree with it, I certainly agree that the fans at Upton Park on Wednesday night after spending their hard earned had every right to voice their displeasure at what was a truly turgid display.
There are two very interesting view points at the core of this debate; from Sam Allardyce’s point of view its his job to keep West Ham in Premier League by any means necessary and with 31 games gone as I write this; we’re currently sitting 11th in the table and nine points clear of the trapdoor; a remarkable turnaround when you consider that a 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage on New Year’s day left us 19th on a measly 15 points…we now have 34.
The other argument at the core of this debate is equally valid; fans are being asked to pay extortionate ticket prices and with those prices come an expectation of entertainment. The last two home performances against Manchester United and Hull City respectively have been dreadful, they’ve lacked any kind of cohesive play or tempo and the one tactic employed in both games had been to hoof the ball up to Andy Carroll and it simply didn’t work and yet no variation was offered up whatsoever. Hardly value for money entertainment wise is it?
David Gold tweeted in the wake of the win over Hull that going to the Olympic Stadium debt free is the club’s only concern and it’s hard to disagree with him. If the first fixture at our new home is a Premier League one it will give us an incredible platform to compete at the top end of the league. The added revenue generated by an extra 19,000 seats, not to mention the corporate facilities, naming rights etc. would propel the club into a completely different stratosphere, one in which the fans could truly dare to dream.
However if the club continue to alienate the fans with high ticket prices and mediocre football how can the club expect to fill the Olympic Stadium?
Ultimately the question at the crux of this debate is; are West Ham fans prepared to put up with a style of play which emphasises results before entertainment with the bigger picture in mind? Or would they rather make a change in the summer and bring in a manager to get the team playing with a style and a swagger…but the caveat being risking their Premier League status?
So Hammers fans…what’s it to be?
survival of course and less fickle booing fans
Start cheering instead of booing West Ham fans, we just have to beat Sunderland on Monday. Unbelieveably, Palace have just beaten Chelsea 1-0, the relegation zone margin is now 26 pts. The lads will need every bit of support we can muster. If we let Sunderland win then the margin will be 28 pts, that’s just too close for comfort if we are on 34 after this game We just have to be on 37 after this game. COYI
Money, Money, Money !
That is the only answer to the reason why sam is in charge.
So Gold and Sullivan can get their money out.
Sell the ground, clear the debts.
The money they are paying back is the loans they gave the club at 6.00% interest.
So rip the heart out of the club, no stadium that we own (which we took 100 years to own), all so Gold and Sullivan can make their money.
No one wanted a new stadium apart from them, we could have done the west side, up to 48,000, job done.
Why Matt Taylor over Joe Cole, why Jarvis over Morrison (on loan? Sam couldn’t handle him), Tomkins ahead or Reid ?
Win 4 games on the trott with Carlton up top (who was scoring), drop him for the lanky Gordie, now we can get back to the hoof ball.
As for Karen Brady critisising the fans. She takes 1.6m a year sallery, and has a share ownersip. Errr, work for £250,000 a year and give your shares to the fans, then see if you turn up in 10 years time on a cold tuesday night in a lifeless olymoic stadium.
Stuff the lot of them.
We have got to get rid of the arrogant BFS he is destroying the club we play the worst football in the premiership ! Let us play traditionally let us be entertained, let us believe that on our day we can beat anyone, let us try to beat a team with 10 men without defending.Surelybe re better than that.
Sam was right to cup his ear West Ham fans were out of order. Viva Big Sam. We won, got 3 points what more do the supporters want? I don’t understand what more he can do to keep the idiots quiet!