FIVE questions West Ham fans would love to ask Big Sam

The problem with West Ham in recent seasons is there have often been more questions than answers around performances and management.

Despite having a vocal manager in Sam Allardyce and a board very comfortable with publicity, there never seems much information that addresses the whys and wherefores of certain decisions.

Fans are constantly left baffled by team selections, playing styles, and transfer rumours.

So with so many areas of confusion, the list of questions that could be posed to the manager seems endless. But here are five questions our supporters’ group would ask based on topics that feature strongly on the Sydney Hammers’ discussion boards:

What was your thinking around the starting XI for the first game of the season?

Extremely topical in the days following the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur; the hope would be Allardyce would address the following issues, which were repeated numerous times by disgruntled fans: Why start James Collins? Why play Carlton Cole? Why play one up front? Why start Kevin Nolan? Why do you have no plan B?

Do you regret signing Andy Carroll?

There remains a lot of discord amongst fans unhappy with the cost of the big striker, and the apparent lack of a return for investment.

With rumours circulating the club knew of Carroll’s injury and that they could have signed Wilfried Bony instead, supporters want reasoning behind such a high profile misjudgement.

Supplementary questions around this issue ask if he is still getting full pay, and what the ever expanding cost per-game ratio is, given transfer fees and wages?

What is your opinion on youth development and the roles they play in football clubs growing?

One of the targets for Allardyce this season is to incorporate more of the Academy prospects in with the first team.

The aim is to re-establish the Academy as a leading force in player production, but the question would be whether the manager feels there is value in it.

He has blooded some young talent in pre-season, and some came through with enhanced reputations. The question is whether they warrant more first team opportunities beyond cup fixtures.

How do you deal with the pressure from media and fans, particularly when results are going against you?/Why won’t you just do something sincere to appease the fans and get them onside?
A recurring theme is the apparent lack of likability around the manager. Some fans argue he doesn’t understand the ‘West Ham way’ and therefore will never be accepted.

The crowd can be biting at the Boleyn Ground when things are not going as expected. It would be interesting to see if Allardyce believes his bullish behaviour wins favour as a man with steadfast beliefs, or if he is dismissive of the fact it may make him seem aloof.

When are you handing in your resignation?

And in fairness of representing the views of the wider supporters’ group, the final question is rather direct and clearly confronting.

It follows on from the previous point around the relationship with fans.

There is a divide in terms of support for the manager, with some grateful for the degree of stability he has provided in establishing the team in the Premier League again.

But many still want to ask: “When are you leaving?” and “Why are you hanging around, as you’re extremely unlikely to have your contract extended?”