It is interesting that Cole and Collison do not feature in that list. In fact, Cole is compared to David Cross and Parkes invites us to consider how many his former team mate would have scored "against oppositions like these". Baldock isn't good enough either. Faye and Reid are not considered up to it - no surprise there - and McCartney isn't either.
But the big ommission is a certain Kevin Nolan. Did Big Phil forget him? I doubt it! Captain Fantastic doesn't even get a mention!
Parkes quite rightly says we were "dreadful against Forest" and, like me, asserts "in truth I haven’t seen them play that well all season".
I get all sorts of flack for saying it as it is. So, are the anonymice going to turn on Parkes now and tell him he doesn't know what he's talking about?
The truth is, we're shit, and some of us - those who understand the game - know we are! As Phil says, “I still think they will be promoted and I also think that they have the strongest squad in the division and could run away with it if they can find a consistent run of form, but in truth I think that says just how poor the Championship is!"
kevin in manchester writes ..
ReplyDeletesounds about right if you are talking first 15 - although if we're to include Noble, then Lansbury would qualify (OK he's a loan player) and Collinson too.I think Reid is developing nicely, he's athletic and could be up to the job, also we haven't seen much of Demel, so it's difficult to be definitive about him. Baldock really hasn't had a settled go in the team (although I'm not holding my breath) and as you never cease to remind us he's bereft of decent crosses to work with.. plus when have you ever come across and old gimmer ( and I speak as one) who thinks the youngsters pass muster. Finally if we only have four players who are worthy; name a team in the championship that has more.
No wonder you are always writing about QPR if this is all you can come up with for your own team. At least you have realised you are shit.
ReplyDeleteDon't get it wrong HF, I think everyone knows we are below par, but you can't argue with the league position and the targets set at pre-season. I'm happy to accept any type of football for this season, and the next if it keeps us up. Eventually however, we must become half attractive to watch.
ReplyDeleteHe's right, i mean you get some good players in the league but few can make the step up. we won last year and only faurlin has made the transition well.
ReplyDeleteWhat worries me most is West Ham coming straight back down even if we do go up because the club is not wealthy enough to recruit the players we need to replace all the dead wood.
ReplyDeleteOf course if you get promoted you could have Kieran Dyer back, He is fantastic in training and should be fit in time to join you in preseason
ReplyDeleteSo you know the game do you? Yeah, right. My favourite example of your superior knowledge, was your incomprehensible support for Grant. You obviously know better than us mere mortals who consider that along with Roeder he was simply the worst manager we ever had. And you supported him. So please no lectures about you knowing the game and certainly no need for your f*cking arrogance.
ReplyDeletePhil Parkes- genuine legend. I saw him make his debut against Oldham and he was the best keeper we've had in my time supporting them. So I will always have time for his views. I don't agree with everything he said on this occasion but respect that he made his point without resorting to the ignorant, smug, provacative happy-we're-craptechnique that you choose to employ.
Premiership quality players in the squad.... we're not in the premiership Dear so the argument is pointless at this stage in the season. Parks was a crap midfield anyways.
ReplyDelete"the truth is, we are shit" in comparison to who?? Barcelona, man city, real Madrid?? Well yea I suppose we are. In the championship however we are statistically the best in the league and under Allardyce I would fancy our chances of staying up next year even if we didn't invest (although I would hate for us to have to attempt that). I understand y neutrals wouldn't want to watch us for entertainment but is it ever entertainment watching your own team (especially west ham) i hate the feeling of being behind in a game an if we r winning I'm wishing the minutes away so as long as we r winning I'm happy. I'm sure u will bang on about how we should be smashing teams so we shouldn't be wishing the minutes away but the next minute we r shit so no real point there. There's no such thing as an ugly goal, ugly is not scoring!
ReplyDeletePhil Parkes was a keeper Dave, or was that a joke that went over my head?
ReplyDelete1728, according to Parkes, we have 4 Premiership quality players and one of those is Tomkins who has matured since last season. Now, tell me, Parker & Ba apart, who have we sold that was Premiership quality? Where are Stanislas, Hines, da Costa, Boa, Gabbidon, Dyer, Upson, Bridge, Spector, Hitzlspurger, Behrami, Barrera, Ilunga, Jacobsen, Kovac, McCarthy, Ben Haim, Obinna and Diamanti? The truth is, Grant inherited an absolute mess. He cocked up hugely with Ba, no question, and I was very critical of using him wide left, but the truth is, Ba apart, no manager would have kept that shower of shit up last season - which is why O'Neill had second thoughts.
I've said it time and again, blame Curbishley and Eggert, and then Zola, Duxbury and Nani for our relegation. Grant didn't help, but he stood no chance given what he inherited - especially once Sullivan and Gold decided that relegation was a way of cutting costs and coming back leaner and meaner. Cue Allardyce!
Having stood on the away end at Oldham Athletic watching a team Phil played in..... Having seen us lose 6:0..... and my Northern mates call him Phil the tree.... having met Phil a good number of times, having seen him concede 6 at Anfield, more at old Trafford.... I find it unacceptable that he dismisses the achievements that a misfiring team, have brought, after being a lounge "host" under the likes of Roeder and Grant. Ermm..... we had many a chat Phill, and I don't remeber you having a bad word to say. You are a hero in many eye's... stay that way. Keep quiet, support the team. Crikey, the teams of your era were not always perfect, I have seen rubbish in many towns and city's over land and sea...... some of which YOU played in...
ReplyDeleteCOYI.
Typical attitude I'm afraid Northern. Guys like you should live in North Korea! If Phil feels that criticism is justified, he should speak his mind. This correlation between supporting a team and not voicing criticism is absurd. If you love somebody, you are honest with him or her. If you love somebody, you tell her or him when a mistake is being made. And just because Parkes played in poor teams, that doesn't mean he can't see when a team is playing poorly and when players are sub standard.
ReplyDelete17:28 anonoymice ROCK! we salute you.
ReplyDelete17:47 septic tanks know nothing...
ReplyDeleteMillwall's plane banner wasn't 'Curbishley- Millwall legend'. By all means afford some of the blame to others- you'd be right too. But Grant was as culpable as anyone. And do you know what, whilst Grant stood no chance cos he was crap, there were managers who would have stood a chance of keeping us up. And whisper it gently- but Allardyce, the guy you hate would have been amongst them.
ReplyDeleteBefore you say anything remember 2003. A West Ham team too good to go down- Defoe, Carrick, Cole, Di Canio, Kanoute, Johnson etc. And who sent us down? Smaller, less resourced, less fashionable Bolton. They had players such as Okocha and Djorkaeff (forgive my spelling if that's wrong). Brilliant proper footballers. And who signed them?
So please give Allardyce a chance. If we go up, and he gets good resources and buys big strong non-footballers then by all means have a go at him. But if he gets us up and brings in the equivalents of the two Bolton boys then watch him keep us up.
19:57 shaka hislop was better!
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard anyone arguing with your assessment of the quality of football fanno, I can't recall any one on here saying how we're playing wonderful football but we're still sitting pretty and can't be any higher than we are now and that is all that matters
ReplyDeleteAnd the award for ''Stating the bleedin' obvious'' goes to HF. Phil Parkes says we're shit bar 4. I have been saying same for months. Julian Dicks says we're shit bar none and I make him right too. But here we are in 2012, not the 80's or the 90's...this is how it is..we're shit but we're top and on course for an immediate return to the Premiership, followed by an immediate return to the Championship unless some quality is brought in... quality players and quality manager.
ReplyDeleteListen G&S aren't stupid. They know if we go up they will have to buy a new team or we are as good as down again.
ReplyDelete18:21 said "i hate the feeling of being behind in a game an if we r winning I'm wishing the minutes away so as long as we r winning I'm happy." That nailed what football is for us all in a few words...excellent.
ReplyDeleteAlso,we (QPR) got a lot of that last season that we were playing in a below par league and were not actually that good, then it must be said that the prem is the same when you look at the results of the promote teams. Norwich are flyin, swansea are the among the best at home and some away results too which brings us to my beloved Rs...well we were flying until the wheels came off and well thats for another day as it is a West Ham blog but as you always say we are not going to spend much and I still fully expect us to stay up with a half decent manager now at the helm. You already have a good prem manager and will do next year but your football will not change. Anyone who thought that entertaining footie was on its way to upton pk when Alerdyce came in is/was grossly mistaken. When has attractive football coincided with big Sam....erm! never. Accept the football you are playing now in whatever shape or form, who cares as long as you are winning. I mean seriously, all you really want is to be back where I genuinely believe you belong in the prem. Be hard to beat, keep winning = promotion. Dont whine about being promoted out of arguable one of the toughest leagues in the world just because your not playing attractive football. Hope ye can finish the job...nail biting time!
Irish R - Galway
Great post 20:19, in fact so good HF won't reply, a shame but this is a discussion free blog.
ReplyDeleteDebate the relative merits of Parkes and Hislop? Bit like debating the merits of Moore and Upson in my book!
ReplyDeleteI dont care what any single West Ham fan says Winston Reid is neither good, or develeping nicely. He's still absolutely terrible. Just because he's had a few games in the Championship doesn't mean that when we go up and play teams like Fulham and Bolton that he will bottle it and panic like he used to and punt the ball into Row Z. He needs to go or be pushed down the pecking order if we go up.
ReplyDeleteClassic! "And do you know what, whilst Grant stood no chance cos he was crap, there were managers who would have stood a chance of keeping us up. And whisper it gently- but Allardyce, the guy you hate would have been amongst them.
ReplyDeleteBefore you say anything remember 2003. A West Ham team too good to go down- Defoe, Carrick, Cole, Di Canio, Kanoute, Johnson etc. And who sent us down? Smaller, less resourced, less fashionable Bolton"
You're obsessed! There was no reason to include QPR in this title... #sadlittleman
ReplyDeleteAnony-mouse,
ReplyDeletePaul's right. Their was no need to put QPR in the title. And he put them ahead of West Ham. Says all you need to know about HF's priorities..
22:04 actually it was debate at 20:19 but you knew that already didn't you? that's why you chose to ignore it.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't a debate, it was a statement. A misinformed statement! Parkes has been voted West Ham's greatest ever keeper and few would disagree. And second best would by Ludo.
ReplyDeleteYeap you're right how can you argue 20:19 is absolutely right
ReplyDelete"Before you say anything remember 2003. A West Ham team too good to go down- Defoe, Carrick, Cole, Di Canio, Kanoute, Johnson etc. And who sent us down? Smaller, less resourced, less fashionable Bolton. They had players such as Okocha and Djorkaeff (forgive my spelling if that's wrong). Brilliant proper footballers. And who signed them?"
Anony-mouse says,
ReplyDeleteHi AJ, It was me who posted at 20.19 (and 17.28 as well). You're right - HF has two types of response to posts he disagrees with. He either ignores them, or rants on at a tangent. It's just the way he is. On this occasion, bless him he seems to be a bit confused cos he got two posts at 20.19, including mine. I think he thought you were referring to the Shaka post. Or is he deflecting off at a tangent again? Who knows?
Anyway, whilst the football isn't pretty we're top! And I for one was not expecting that at the season's start. So fair play to BFS and the lads.
All the best. COYI!
These are not the words of Parksey......Phil, feels strongely about things at the moment like all of us, BUT to say he said we are shit....is a joke. Phil still has many tie,s at the club..the whole interview was recorded & sounds nothing like someone has put on here to stir things up. Just had to pass coment as i know Phil well. Cheers
ReplyDelete