http://www.express.co.uk/sport/foot...llardyce-WILL-be-West-Ham-manager-next-season So Sam keeps his job at West Ham, but at what cost to his pride. He is being given support to improve their attacking play....this is what happens to spotty teenagers in their first job. What must if feel like to an experienced manager like Allardyce? Going to end in tears.
I saw that, dont see it ending well. But then didnt Wenger get in a defensive coach a while back? Only way he can realistically keep his job, nobody is happy watching them play. I presume theyve asked him before and things did not improve.
The key sentence in that very short (cobbled together after minimum research?) article is "after listening to feedback from supporters". In other words, Gold and Sullivan have no intention of sacking the man who's done everything they've asked of him, but in order to placate West Ham's deluded fans, they are making a few hollow promises about a change in style. That's how I read it, anyway.
The WHU board purely playing a game with their supporters especially at a time of year when season ticket renewals fall due No way SA will change his style as it has worked for him for many years and with the squad of thugs and cloggers how does anyone expect anything other than hoof ball
When I heard this yesterday, I wasn't surprised. Allardyce has a year left on his contract and it is an easy decision for the Chairmen. Do we risk PL safety for the sake of better football, sack a manager on £6m a year, or do we ride out this wave of criticism and if he fails, we won't renew his contract next season. These two guys are businessmen at the end of the day, and with the club still in debt, they know that PL survival will keep the money healthy, especially with the move to the Olympic stadium in 2 seasons time. That said, the statement they released was a poor one, and disregarded the opinions of the fans. It is clear, and has been for some time now, that the supporters are not behind Allardyce or his style of football. However, the board continue with him in place. An attacking coach won't change much, in my opinion, because the players Allardyce has got at West Ham, are players suited to his style of football - long ball, and defensively sound. Let's be serious here, Andy Carroll is not suddenly going to be running at defenders, and scoring wonder goals with his feet, when this new coach comes in, is he? He is a big lad, who's strengths, albeit very limited, lie in the air undoubtedly. If West Ham want to change their style of play, then an overhaul of the playing staff is needed. Changing the manager would be a gamble, as PL survival by the time West Ham go to the new ground, is imperative. Although, we have seen that it can be done successfully. The example I always look at now, is that of Tony Pulis' Stoke side, and Mark Hughes. Pulis built a side at Stoke, with similar footballing principles as Allardyce has done throughout his management career. They were spirited, organised, and very direct. After 6 seasons, despite PL safety never really being in doubt, they wanted a change of style, and they got it with Mark Hughes. Hughes came in, and despite not improving the style when I went to see us play them at the Britannia earlier this season, it is evident that the side are more entertaining. He has made subtle changes to the players, and actually their league position is better than it ever was under Pulis. Saying that, Pulis didn't do badly himself last season, did he? In summarising, I would say that if Gold and Sullivan were honest to the fans and said "we want PL safety to be assured", then they may be more understanding of this decision. But they didn't, and the promises of respecting the wishes of the fans and returning to the 'west ham way', are clearly false ones if Allardyce remains in charge. The grass can sometimes be greener if you change a manager, although Allardyce will no doubt keep them up.
Think Al has it right. While they have Carroll they have to play to his limited strengths so hoofball it is.
West Ham fans are an ungrateful bunch. Afficionados of the beautiful game my arse. They should be happy with their last 3 seasons. The style fat Sam has them playing is both effective and entertaining. Fuxake, they're no uglier to watch than Chelsea. Glad we don't play like that though
Oh no Archers Road, they are very, very ugly. I really don't think I can face that game next season, having watched the last three seasons games against them at St Mary's. Chelsea played with guile and some quality attacking play against us (when we let them)
Well yeah, that was the problem against Chelsea. We made them look good, in fact I'd say they were the only side who came close to outclassing us last season. My point is, they looked ugly when they played sides that where better than them.
I saw this and wondered whether the board were just trying to placate the fans, however it did say that the board wanted more input in player purchasing. Eitherway stating that they require at least a top 10 finish puts Allardyce in a tough position, after all can West Ham really expect to finish much higher?
Exactly. I very much doubt whether Gold or Sullivan are unhappy with their choice of manager. It's a pretty strange position they find themselves in really. Do the fans really want them to play more attractive football at the risk of worse results?
It is a bit like Newcastle (who sold their best player and only had one goalscorer) and Aston Villa (who had lots of attacking players injured), fans have too higher expectations, although I can understand their frustrations.
West Ham fans have always had this deluded illusionary belief over the past 50 years that they are one of the big boys and that they have a rich history of playing exceptional football whilst getting results. Truth is that while they have played good football in several season there are also many others where they were complete dross. Even the Redknapp era had players that were incredibly skilful like Joe Cole and Di Canio but they were still not playing super football every week. Many of these games were grinding out wins or draws with the occasional glimpse of brilliance. The other truth is that they are much more of a yo-yo club than we are. Most of my football supporting life Saints were in the top flight where West Ham would go down and come up and go down and come up. They have been out of the top flight for 4 spells during this time whereas us only the once. Yes we were gone for a longer period but still it's just the one period away from the premier league. I do agree with the hammers fans not wanting Allardyce as their manager but they are in a much different situation than us. We are not hampered by their debts nor the prospect of an empty Olympic stadium should they go down. We are not hampered at all by debt and going down would not do us anywhere near as much damage. So we can take a few more chances with style and management. I see it as Cortese took a gamble. He speculated to accumulate. He accepted that installing 'The Southampton Way' would pay dividends after while and would then mean we didn't need to take risks eventually. We would just continue the same thing, whoever the manager, whoever the players because everyone knew what they were doing. West Ham can't do this. They are the poker player with a short stack. They are in the situation where they cannot take any gamble on and have to wait for a desperate 'all in'. They are 'stick because we don't want to go bust'. So much as I hate Allardyce, Gold and Sullivan and the fans that think West Ham are this club with a glorious history and tradition of playing stunning football every year whilst bringing through multitudes of young players from their 'fabled' academy, I think they have no choice but to hang on to Allardyce, hope they get through the next season, maybe their debts will have reduced en ough then to give a new manager a sizable chunk of money whilst selling/releasing some of the dross playing staff they have.
The important thing is to stay in the PL. It's not as if you have to play great football this year or never...stay in the PL and steadily improve is also a plan. Switching managers is not always the smartest move.
