So The Hammers are back in the CCC. Yo-yo or not? Do they start next season as favourites for automatic promotion? We all talk about the gulf between The Premiership and the CCC, so how do we think they will cope? Perhaps a real barometer would be how would a QPR v WHU game finish if they played each other right now? What odds would you give which side? And what would your score line prediction be?
QPR would win as the difference between those 2 sides is marginal but QPR are on such a high and West Ham such a low that it would be so one sided. Basically West Ham would get smashed. But they've got time to find a new manager, get rid of the dross and forge a new future. Something that we started doing 6 months ago so we're on the same path as them pretty much.
Thrilled to see West Ham come down. Can't stand Brady. She was saying that 92 teams in the league is too many, and it probably needs slimming down. How about West Ham go then Brady? And they fired the wonderful Zola to bring in Avram Grant. They get what they deserve. West Ham will probably hold onto their top players like Green and Parker. They'll be looking at the Newcastle model and I doubt they'll let those players go this season. I think they go up as champions.
I'd personally like to see them get relegated again and drop into League 1. That would also help out with Brady's plan for less than 92 league clubs Hampy so all would be good... Maybe they can appoint Roy Keane as manager
Did you see Alan Sugar's football investigation thing billy? He was responsible for Sky getting the football rights 20 years ago so he is off my Christmas card list. He phoned Sky and told them what ITV's bid was because Amstrad were supplying them with receivers! To be fair to the West Ham crew they did well at Birmingham and they'll do well at West Ham too in the long run, but Brady just talks far too much nonsense. When she took over she said West Ham were 'everyone's second team'...
She's right they are 'everyone's second team'...... every Saturday that is, when it's a match between two teams of course!!!
The Alan Sugar programme was really disappointing. He didnt say anything that we dont already know. As for West Ham, I'm glad to see them down. Personally I thought that it was a disgrace that they werent docked points over the Tevez thing, which would have relegated them then. They are apparently much worse off financially now than they were then, so this relegation will really hit them hard. Perhaps there is some justice after all.... I reckon that they will sell the likes of Parker. Green is worse than David James so I dont know why anybody would want him. I reckon they'll finish top 10, but that's about it.
Stratton though - you're Brady, Gold and Sullivan - you know that your best chance of getting the club where you want it is to bounce straight up. You know that if you have players like Parker in the side then your chances are massively increased. You know that if you don't go up straight away and you let your best players go that you have a real chance of dropping down another division or at best staying in the Championship and losing a fortune on the Premier League contracts you still have to honour. Surely you don't let anyone leave do you?
I agree with Hamps. You let no-one leave and push for a bounce back promotion. If that fails then start to off-load. But getting back to the Prem is the task and the best chance is by having the best players available.
I thought Newcastle would struggle when they came down, turns out they needed to go down to go back a better side, clear the dead wood etc. WHU come down with some 'names' although other than Scott Parker (who wont be there next year) no one really stands out (maybe Carlton Cole, Upson, Green may go lower Prem) so might be a chance for them to rebuild and bring some of their youngsters through playing at the level they need too to develop. They'll still be the biggest team in the CCC so attracting players wont be that difficult.
Not sure that WHU's porn peddling owners will have the sense to take a strategic view! Let them drop drop drop! The Olympic stadium will have an eerie echo with just 5,000 fans in it blowing pointless bubbles!!!
Parker will go and they wont stand in his way. Don't ask me why, it's just a hunch. I don't think that they're any bigger a name than us Forest, Leicester, Boro....so I'm not sure that they will find it that easy to attract players, particularly given their financial position. They don't look like a team to me and i reckon that next year will be a real culture shock to them.
Not sure they will be such a big team now. My sister in law is a season ticket holder there & says that virtually no-one she has spoken to is renewing their season ticket. Seems like they are fair weather fans, shame couldn't happen to a nicer bunch. Still they won the world cup though eh?
Key to West Ham doing well next season will be how many of their 'stars' that they manage to keep. Newcastle held on to most and that showed in their performances in the Championship. Not sure WHU players will have the same degree of loyalty and, in my opinion, their squad is not as strong as Newcastle's was anyway.
