In 2004, Mauricio Taricco tore his hamstring 27 minutes into his Hammers debut. Accepting the severity of the injury, Taricco then offered to have his contract with the club cancelled which the club accepted, with Alan Pardew commenting that it was one of the most honest things he had ever known a footballer to do.
After Wayne Bridge’s infinitely more hapless debut last Saturday, he picked up £90,000, while his agent preceded to hang the club’s dirty laundry all over TV. A weekend that had started with so much promise, ended with Barry Silkman announcing on At The Races that he had spoken to David Sullivan and that Avram was staying after all. The amateur nature of the communication was symbolic of how the club is being managed. God only knows what gems Karren Brady’s Sun column will bring at the weekend.
Having had the prospect of one of the country’s best managers tantalisingly dangled in front of us, we may nevertheless come to look back on this as a blessing in disguise. Martin O’Neill does not seem like the sort of man to have easily suffered the interference of Brady and the Davids. In fact, I suspect that deep down O’Neill knew this and was never likely to actually take the job. If so, then he should also take his share of the blame for this charade.
There is little to add to this most depressing of weeks, so I leave it to Twitter to detail the week from hell …
Friday 14 January
welcome all, and you would not regret the journey of twitter with me, I will be more active from this Monday. good luck all
@KarrenBrady
Saturday 15 January
Could be an interesting day at the office by the sound of things..
@jack_collison
Sky Sports News reporting that Avram Grant will be sacked regardless of today's result against Arsenal and replaced by Martin O'Neill.
@JacobSteinberg (Guardian journalist, West Ham fan)
News that Martin O'Neill is on his way to #westham is exciting but unsettling ahead of crucial match. Can no-one at the club keep shtum?
@steve_mawhinney (Head of News BBC Radio 5 Live, West Ham fan)
Love him or hate him - the Moose on talkSport is saying that it's true and O'Neill is to replace Grant after today's game
@onesteviebacon (Club photographer)
Avram Grant is still West Ham manager but every1 talking about Martin O'Neil taking over...great way for Avram to prepare for a game!
@rioferdy5
Right whatever you think of the man, how can Avram Grant be put through the humiliation of today's game if the rumours are true - COYI
@onesteviebacon
I think the O'Neill story may be a tad premature.
@CliveTyldesley
Shame to say but This game could be high scoring....for arsenal. Rob Greens nose is red raw, #rudolph like!? Any1 notice that!?
@rioferdy5
Arsenal have slowed down now. Think they were feeling a bit sorry for us. One of those games where it's too easy.
@JacobSteinberg
MARTIN O'NEILL! Please, I beg you, save us. #I'mPreparedToDoHouseholdChoresInExchangeForProficientManagement
@rustyrockets (Russell Brand)
Sunday 16 January
#westham Big Sam on Sky now saying he's not been contacted by West Ham .... but I've heard different !!!
@onesteviebacon
Monday 17 January
More rumour news Barry Silkman says he spoke to Sullivan who told him Grant is staying and #westham on verge of signing a striker.
@ELA_Hammers (East London Advertiser)
So West Ham look likely to have a dead man walking in charge for the forseeable future.
@JacobSteinberg
What are we gonna do @mad_dogmartin - you know how much I love our club but after 37 years working here this has to be the worse
@onesteviebacon
Tuesday 18 January
Avram Grant is staying. Joke club. Complete farce.
@JacobSteinberg
The football team i support is in crisis. I just don't know how this has happened.
@JKCorden (James Corden)
SuGo with media's conivence have destablised #westham AV Grant & our players-media will move on to another feed frenzy fans mugged off again
@krissakabusi
Beyond Avram Grant some intriguing developments regarding players at West Ham
@GuardianJamieJ (Guardian journalist)
Wednesday 19 January
From 19 March to 30 April, these are West Ham's games: Spurs (a), MUFC (h), Bolton (a), Aston Villa (h), Chelsea (a), MCFC (a). Horrific.
@JacobSteinberg
Thursday 20 January
Liking the later start today.. I nearly forgot how great jeremy kyle is.... #crackingtv ...
@jack_collison
Friday, 21 January 2011
Friday, 14 January 2011
Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want
Good times for a change. Watching Ben Foster fumble the ball into the net on Tuesday night felt odd, as though the misfortune should be at our expense, not to our gain. It is not every game that the fans exit the stadium singing in unison. That hasn’t happened since, well, the last round.
That’s four wins and two draws in seven games. We have just signed one of the best left backs in the league, eliminating our greatest weakspot. We go into the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final with a one-goal lead. Should we reach the finals, Ipswich could be our opponents.
And yet, and yet. Guardian writer, Jacob Steinberg, summed up that post-match back-down-to-earth feeling, tweeting, "While it’s better to be leading after first leg, twenty mad minutes could end up costing West Ham. Really should be two or three goals up." Ben Foster was in inspired form in the first half, but there can be few excuses for how the players came out for the second half.
It is a worrying trend this season that we only seem able to play in fits and starts. We are capable of dominating for spells but as soon as we lose our momentum we sit back and allow the opposition to come at us. It is hard to imagine us ever scoring a first-half goal, killing the game and seeing out a one-goal win.
There was a certain amount of comedy at seeing Matthew Upson become the latest right-footed player to fill in at left back. Like Tal Ben-Haim before him, he steered clear of actually using his left foot, opting instead to kick with his trusty right, even if that meant conceding possession and looking a bit silly.
Julien Fauxpas, a good player turned bad, was at his infuriating worst. He must be as bewildered as anyone at finding himself playing at right back for the Premier League’s bottom side and making a bad job of it. Watching him duck out of tackles and concede possession, it is easy to forget that he has represented (and scored for) France and cost more than £6m.
One of the downsides of reaching the League Cup semi-final is the constant reminders of the Luton and Oldham semi-finals in 1989 and 1990. Just looking at a photo of the 6-0 drubbing at Boundary Park (with Phil Parkes and Alan Devonshire both in the side) sends shivers down my spine. The subsequent 3-0 fightback at Upton Park made for what must be one of the most contrary two-legged games in League Cup history. Fitting perhaps for a competition whose very name is an oxymoron.
On the subject of morons, Vic Obinna’s petulance was missed by most of us inside Upton Park. Without the benefit of a replay and with Phil Dowd barely bothering to hold the red card aloft, it was left to word of mouth to inform those of us in the Bobby Moore Upper as to what had actually happened. Having stormed out of Upton Park during the Barnsley game, he is quickly undoing his good work from the quarter-final.
Thankfully, a bit of perseverance and a large slice of luck made his dismissal academic. A draw at St Andrews is all that stands between us and the final. Our last Wembley appearance took place the year before I was born. Season ticket holders have already been guaranteed final tickets should we get there. So for once in my life, please, please, please, let us get to Wembley.
Fiscal responsibility
When Gold and Sullivan strode into Upton Park a year ago, few could argue with their damning assessment of the Icelandic owners and their financial mismanagement. Within days, these reassuring sentiments began to unravel as David Sullivan made public that we were looking to sign a striker, rumoured to be Ruud Van Nistelrooy, on loan at £100k/week wages.
It was therefore not too surprising to hear this week that we had agreed to take on Wayne Bridge’s £90k/week wages in full as well as paying Man City a one-off fee for a six-month loan. If there’s one other club that needs the money even less than Man City, it’s QPR.
According to the Guardian (other newspapers are available), QPR want to take Benni "Biggest Loser" McCarthy on loan. Will QPR be paying his wages in full and offering us a one-off fee? Er, not quite. Apparently, we will be subsidising his wages. Try not to think about us bending over backwards for the two richest clubs in the world as you’re saving up the £800 for next year’s season ticket.
Rumours
Being sacked just seven months into the job with a cup semi-final second leg looming is rather harsh. Unless of course you’re Lou Macari, in which case it’s completely justified.
The incessant rumours surrounding Avram’s future threaten to become as monotonous as David Beckham’s proposed move to Stratford Hotspur. It is scary to think that Avram is being judged on a game-by-game basis – a spill of Foster’s the difference between job security and a P45.
Something is very wrong when decisions over player recruitment are being made, not by the person employed as manager, but by Karren Brady. There is an argument for sacking Avram. There is an argument for sticking with him. There is not an argument for dithering and allowing uncertainty to rein. The reluctance of Gollivan’s preferred replacements to come anywhere near Upton Park should settle things once for all.
That’s four wins and two draws in seven games. We have just signed one of the best left backs in the league, eliminating our greatest weakspot. We go into the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final with a one-goal lead. Should we reach the finals, Ipswich could be our opponents.
And yet, and yet. Guardian writer, Jacob Steinberg, summed up that post-match back-down-to-earth feeling, tweeting, "While it’s better to be leading after first leg, twenty mad minutes could end up costing West Ham. Really should be two or three goals up." Ben Foster was in inspired form in the first half, but there can be few excuses for how the players came out for the second half.
It is a worrying trend this season that we only seem able to play in fits and starts. We are capable of dominating for spells but as soon as we lose our momentum we sit back and allow the opposition to come at us. It is hard to imagine us ever scoring a first-half goal, killing the game and seeing out a one-goal win.
There was a certain amount of comedy at seeing Matthew Upson become the latest right-footed player to fill in at left back. Like Tal Ben-Haim before him, he steered clear of actually using his left foot, opting instead to kick with his trusty right, even if that meant conceding possession and looking a bit silly.
Julien Fauxpas, a good player turned bad, was at his infuriating worst. He must be as bewildered as anyone at finding himself playing at right back for the Premier League’s bottom side and making a bad job of it. Watching him duck out of tackles and concede possession, it is easy to forget that he has represented (and scored for) France and cost more than £6m.
One of the downsides of reaching the League Cup semi-final is the constant reminders of the Luton and Oldham semi-finals in 1989 and 1990. Just looking at a photo of the 6-0 drubbing at Boundary Park (with Phil Parkes and Alan Devonshire both in the side) sends shivers down my spine. The subsequent 3-0 fightback at Upton Park made for what must be one of the most contrary two-legged games in League Cup history. Fitting perhaps for a competition whose very name is an oxymoron.
On the subject of morons, Vic Obinna’s petulance was missed by most of us inside Upton Park. Without the benefit of a replay and with Phil Dowd barely bothering to hold the red card aloft, it was left to word of mouth to inform those of us in the Bobby Moore Upper as to what had actually happened. Having stormed out of Upton Park during the Barnsley game, he is quickly undoing his good work from the quarter-final.
Thankfully, a bit of perseverance and a large slice of luck made his dismissal academic. A draw at St Andrews is all that stands between us and the final. Our last Wembley appearance took place the year before I was born. Season ticket holders have already been guaranteed final tickets should we get there. So for once in my life, please, please, please, let us get to Wembley.
Fiscal responsibility
When Gold and Sullivan strode into Upton Park a year ago, few could argue with their damning assessment of the Icelandic owners and their financial mismanagement. Within days, these reassuring sentiments began to unravel as David Sullivan made public that we were looking to sign a striker, rumoured to be Ruud Van Nistelrooy, on loan at £100k/week wages.
It was therefore not too surprising to hear this week that we had agreed to take on Wayne Bridge’s £90k/week wages in full as well as paying Man City a one-off fee for a six-month loan. If there’s one other club that needs the money even less than Man City, it’s QPR.
According to the Guardian (other newspapers are available), QPR want to take Benni "Biggest Loser" McCarthy on loan. Will QPR be paying his wages in full and offering us a one-off fee? Er, not quite. Apparently, we will be subsidising his wages. Try not to think about us bending over backwards for the two richest clubs in the world as you’re saving up the £800 for next year’s season ticket.
Rumours
Being sacked just seven months into the job with a cup semi-final second leg looming is rather harsh. Unless of course you’re Lou Macari, in which case it’s completely justified.
The incessant rumours surrounding Avram’s future threaten to become as monotonous as David Beckham’s proposed move to Stratford Hotspur. It is scary to think that Avram is being judged on a game-by-game basis – a spill of Foster’s the difference between job security and a P45.
Something is very wrong when decisions over player recruitment are being made, not by the person employed as manager, but by Karren Brady. There is an argument for sacking Avram. There is an argument for sticking with him. There is not an argument for dithering and allowing uncertainty to rein. The reluctance of Gollivan’s preferred replacements to come anywhere near Upton Park should settle things once for all.
Friday, 7 January 2011
Acquisitions and Disposals
If West Ham were a UK retailer they would be announcing disappointing results and issuing a points warning. Management would reveal its plan to focus attention on core activities - such as defending. Despite worrying underlying trends, it would blame the adverse weather, particularly the lack of snow at Ewood Park on 18 December which caused the game against Blackburn to go ahead and the team to drop two points.
On a more upbeat note, it might cite 2007 and 2009 as examples of how the club traditionally sees positive results in the final three months of the season. This could not, however, mask the fact that no meaningful acquisitions were likely due to challenging trading conditions.
How did it come to this? Fretting over whether Steve Sidwell will snub us for the lure of Molineux. Confusingly, Sidwell has already passed a medical and agreed personal terms with West Ham, leaving fans to ponder why no-one involved in the deal thought to suggest that asking him to sign a contract might have been a logical next step. Perhaps they just hadn’t bargained on Mick McCarthy’s dulcet Yorkshire tones turning his head. Or Mark Hughes, if you are to believe the latest reports.
Fearing the worst, many fans have already resorted to “didn’t want him anyway” remarks. These fans presumably still harbour hopes that Radoslav Kovac is about to come good any time now. Confusion still reigns as to whether Sidwell had a change of heart or whether our inability to persuade Roma to further bankrupt themselves by acquiring Valon Behrami means we cannot afford him. Neither explanation offers any comfort.
West Ham fans know from bitter experience that transfer window activity is not always a good thing. In January 2007, as the Icelanders were busy trying to make the club insolvent, pricey purchases included Luis Boa Morte, Callum Davenport and Nigel Quashie. The players who really made the difference in the final weeks - Carlos Tevez, Mark Noble, James Collins - were already at the club, they just hadn’t been properly utilised.
Many fans are just as keen to see a few disposals. Indeed, the new Premier League quota system necessitates this. However, there also seems to be a feeling that there will be something cathartic about relinquishing ourselves of everyone’s favourite scapegoat, Carlton Cole. In the absence of a replacement, the alternative of trying to actually unlock some of his undoubted potential seems more practical.
The Age of the Understatement
"A bad day at the office" was how Avram described Wednesday’s 5-0 humiliation at St James’s Park. It’s a fair comparison if he’s talking about one of those days when you turn up late, miss a deadline, lose a major contract and get your hand caught in the paper shredder.
Having not seen the game this blog is not in a position to analyse it but if it’s true that Piquionne played in midfield and Noble out wide, then Avram’s make-it-up-as-you-go-along ethos seems to be alive and well.
This blog has made little secret of its antipathy to Avram, but if latest reports are to be believed and the only thing keeping him in a job is the absence of a suitable and willing replacement, then a sense of perspective suggests that this would be a strange time to sack him. A 5-0 defeat is humiliating but making such a pivotal decision should be as a result of looking at the bigger picture, not as an emotional reaction.
Sunderland lost at St James’s Park this season by a similar margin and are now on the verge of a Europa League place. In the 2004/05 season which culminated in promotion, we were beaten 4-1 by a not very good Cardiff team. Thrashings are not much fun, but is this week’s nightmare not mitigated somewhat by 8 points from the previous 12?
On only one other occasion this season have we lost by more than two goals. There are many arguments for relieving Avram of his duties. A rare thrashing is not one.
The Twits
Now for a bit of comic relief and the story about Aldershot Town striker Marvin Morgan who came over all Kevin Pietersen this week and posted a rather inappropriate tweet. Responding to the booing he received from his own fans after a 2-1 defeat to Hereford, Morgan tweeted, "Like to thank the fans who booed me off the pitch. Where's that going to get you! I hope you all die."
Perhaps he did go a tad too far in wishing death on the Shots’ fans, but would it not be rather refreshing to see similar emotion from some West Ham players? It would certainly make a change from Zavon Hines and Anthony Edgar telling us how great this God bloke is.
On a more upbeat note, it might cite 2007 and 2009 as examples of how the club traditionally sees positive results in the final three months of the season. This could not, however, mask the fact that no meaningful acquisitions were likely due to challenging trading conditions.
How did it come to this? Fretting over whether Steve Sidwell will snub us for the lure of Molineux. Confusingly, Sidwell has already passed a medical and agreed personal terms with West Ham, leaving fans to ponder why no-one involved in the deal thought to suggest that asking him to sign a contract might have been a logical next step. Perhaps they just hadn’t bargained on Mick McCarthy’s dulcet Yorkshire tones turning his head. Or Mark Hughes, if you are to believe the latest reports.
Fearing the worst, many fans have already resorted to “didn’t want him anyway” remarks. These fans presumably still harbour hopes that Radoslav Kovac is about to come good any time now. Confusion still reigns as to whether Sidwell had a change of heart or whether our inability to persuade Roma to further bankrupt themselves by acquiring Valon Behrami means we cannot afford him. Neither explanation offers any comfort.
West Ham fans know from bitter experience that transfer window activity is not always a good thing. In January 2007, as the Icelanders were busy trying to make the club insolvent, pricey purchases included Luis Boa Morte, Callum Davenport and Nigel Quashie. The players who really made the difference in the final weeks - Carlos Tevez, Mark Noble, James Collins - were already at the club, they just hadn’t been properly utilised.
Many fans are just as keen to see a few disposals. Indeed, the new Premier League quota system necessitates this. However, there also seems to be a feeling that there will be something cathartic about relinquishing ourselves of everyone’s favourite scapegoat, Carlton Cole. In the absence of a replacement, the alternative of trying to actually unlock some of his undoubted potential seems more practical.
The Age of the Understatement
"A bad day at the office" was how Avram described Wednesday’s 5-0 humiliation at St James’s Park. It’s a fair comparison if he’s talking about one of those days when you turn up late, miss a deadline, lose a major contract and get your hand caught in the paper shredder.
Having not seen the game this blog is not in a position to analyse it but if it’s true that Piquionne played in midfield and Noble out wide, then Avram’s make-it-up-as-you-go-along ethos seems to be alive and well.
This blog has made little secret of its antipathy to Avram, but if latest reports are to be believed and the only thing keeping him in a job is the absence of a suitable and willing replacement, then a sense of perspective suggests that this would be a strange time to sack him. A 5-0 defeat is humiliating but making such a pivotal decision should be as a result of looking at the bigger picture, not as an emotional reaction.
Sunderland lost at St James’s Park this season by a similar margin and are now on the verge of a Europa League place. In the 2004/05 season which culminated in promotion, we were beaten 4-1 by a not very good Cardiff team. Thrashings are not much fun, but is this week’s nightmare not mitigated somewhat by 8 points from the previous 12?
On only one other occasion this season have we lost by more than two goals. There are many arguments for relieving Avram of his duties. A rare thrashing is not one.
The Twits
Now for a bit of comic relief and the story about Aldershot Town striker Marvin Morgan who came over all Kevin Pietersen this week and posted a rather inappropriate tweet. Responding to the booing he received from his own fans after a 2-1 defeat to Hereford, Morgan tweeted, "Like to thank the fans who booed me off the pitch. Where's that going to get you! I hope you all die."
Perhaps he did go a tad too far in wishing death on the Shots’ fans, but would it not be rather refreshing to see similar emotion from some West Ham players? It would certainly make a change from Zavon Hines and Anthony Edgar telling us how great this God bloke is.
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