Some like to highlight Cortese's faults, and although he does not go without them, we cannot argue that he is a professional. When reporters tried to feed him a question about the PL he refused to entertain it, saying it would be disrespectful to the opposition and it is not for him to comment on. The same with Nigel, and the way he handles himself as a person and as a manager in front of the cameras. However, I saw these comments and just couldn't believe some of them, anyway, what do you guys think of this... West Ham Owner David Gold on Twitter in the past 24 hours alone: "Winston Read, Guy Demel, and Papa Diop are all back in full training with the first team. DG" He also gets into petty squabbles with the fans online, and lambasts them for being negative for suggesting Allardyce will go 4-5-1 with a centre-back playing the holding role. When asked about the game on Saturday vs Reading: "If we win yes. If not, no because they have a difficult run in DG" - Struggle to get my head round that one personally. But then last of all...: "We have the most loyal fans in the division. The football league will miss us next year" I think this sums up the arrogance of WH and I don't think it is unfair to say that West Ham underestimated this division. I remember seeing Gold on Sky Sports News in the summer talking about "When we go up" as if it was already done and dusted. Nicola may have faults, but I'm glad he doesn't go spouting off in public like this. I appreciate that West Ham is his club, both by deed and by the fact he is a West Ham supporter, but it doesn't sit right with me for a Chairman/Owner to be doing this. I know it's not the case for everyone, but sometimes people are too happy to jump on their own and criticise. Just take a look around at the others, and who they have. Decided to post this as it surprised me and I wondered what others might make of this. Thoughts? DTLW
The two are like chalk and cheese. Gold and Sullivan both exacerbate and epitomize the arrogant and border-line delusional nature of West Ham as a club at this moment of time. They've corrupted and tarnished what was once a proud footballing institution. Nicola exemplifies the professional, determined, respectful and ambitious nature of our club at the moment. He is guiding our club to success in a wholly pure manner, whilst developing an amazingly professional and admirable atmosphere that emanates from St Mary's and anything related to Southampton Football Club at this point in time. Nicola > Gold & Sullivan.
I agree to an extent, although I think it's up to Gold, or anyone, to decide what he says and how he carries himself, and if he feels confident enough in the job he's doing to say these things then good for him. However, it does run the risk of turning people off and I agree with you in that personally I think discretion is what is required of people in his position, and Cortese certainly embodies that characteristic. It's a matter of taste at the end of the day, I'm sure lots of hammers fans like Gold's hands-on, 'one of the fans' approach but if they feel let down by him come the end of the season I think the reaction will be worse because of it.
There is a difference. Gold & Sullivan put up the money. Nicola doesn't. This doesn't excuse G & S for one moment, but it might give them licence to comment, even if it is only them that thinks so. Either way, it's their downfall, in the end, as anything off track undermines the confidence. Nicola behaves superbly in the role of the modern chairperson. Add to that his exemplary record in handling the financial affairs of the super rich, and his record of running the sports finances departments of the banks he's worked for, and you begin to understand that here is a bloke who is perfectly suited to running a medium sized business like SFC, and planning the right moves to making it bigger and better. I'm not sure whether there is another football club chairman out there who has as much confidence placed in him as our Don. I seriously doubt it.
I think you have to look at what they are saying through different eyes DTLW. They are expressing an opinion as an owner, with the kind of passion you would expect. It is after all their baby, their dream. You are looking at it as an observer a football critic perhaps and perhaps can see a much broader perspective as you are not seeing it through rose tinted glasses. To be honest for someone to get involved in twitter about your playing tactics or your financial status or even you standing as a club is suicidal if not down right stupid. You are just asking for trouble in my opinion. At the end of the day though.....that is exactly what it is......an opinion.....which is open to criticism!
Personally I think it is a mistake for someone in that position to be posting about this on Twitter. Is it his personal views or that of the club or both? You see it a lot where people have to comment on their tweets in other media to say it was a personal opinion or to clarify what they actually meant. Gold is always going to say he is confident of going up as anything less is showing a lack of support for both the manager and the team. Considering he appointed the manager and funded the team by sating he thinks they are out of it would be an admission of his own failures. Both the Don and NA are a credit to our club. They present themselves and the club very well during various media commitments and won't get drawn into talk of winning the league etc. Coretese rarely speaks to the media but whenhe does doesn't over cook us or come across as arrogant. A refreshing change to Rupert Lowe. Nigel, I think has learned a lesson regarding his comments last year about Brighton finishing behind us in the league. He now just talks about one game at a time. In short we are much more professional and I would much rather go about things in a quiet conservative manner and win the league than be in the press every five minutes saying how great we are and how we will walk it, before falling short and having egg on our face.
