Unlike a couple of guys who post comments on here, I am more than happy to admit when I am proved wrong - and boy was I wrong about Sullivan and Gold, in the short term at least.
They were decisive when they removed Zola, and whilst those who hate Grant will say the Avram appointment was more to do with the shared absence of a foreskin than his ability as a manager, I disagree. The squad Zola left behind was a mess and with the astronomical wage bill built up under Duxbury's "watch", there was little or no scope for movement until relegation secured automatic salary reductions and triggered a flood of departures. The interesting question is whether a calculation was made and relegation embraced as the only way of clearing the decks and starting afresh. Anyway, Grant operated on a transfer shoe-string and the squad was woefully inadequate - even Redknapp would have struggled.
What has followed has been little short of incredible. A week after relegation, who would have believed that 18 months on we would be back in the Prem with a squad boasting Joe Cole, Andy Carroll, Matt Jarvis, Kevin Nolan, Alou Diarra, Mo Diame, Wellington Paulista, James Collins and Vaz Te? If rumours are correct, the club is also doing its level best to recruit a decent left back. And we are only one week into the January window!
And who has departed? Rubbish, more rubbish, still more rubbish - and Scott Parker. And as I always maintained, shipping out Parker was a necessary step in rebuilding the team. Noble holds better, has more vision and is not "the story" every time West Ham play. And, of course, even on 40k per week, Nolan is only earning half of what Parker was creaming in. Nolan or Parker? Who wins more games? No contest, as I maintained when Parker was named Player of the Year even as we finished rock bottom and after Nolan scored four times as many goals for Newcastle and assisted twice as many as Parker.
And although I am opposed to the move to the Olympic Stadium, I have to concede that, thus far, the owners have negotiated superbly.
Of course, it could all go tits up - we are West Ham after all - but at this stage you have to give out the plaudits. Yes I expect Sullivan and Gold to make a tidy profit in the long run, but who cares, we are enjoying it!
Great article,I started watching West Ham in the Musgrove, Cantwell day,and this side is one of the strongest i have seen, don't forget the strength of the prem, I think good things to come..
ReplyDeleteIan
I wouldn't be wetting your knickers ove Caroll,Jarvis or Cole hf?
ReplyDeleteYup! things are rosy and when (not if) SuGo cashes in I think they'll leave us in a much better state than Brown,Eggy,or Duxbury..It's the way of this wicked world but I honestly think that they have a connection more than just financial to the club, but I'm no fool to think they don't want their pound of flesh in the end.
ReplyDelete.........''and like my dreams they fade and die''.
ReplyDeleteYes we are West Ham and it cannot be taken for granted (pun not intended) that this squad beckons (or Beckhams?) a new dawn. Our relegated squad in 2003 was considered one of the best in years. So let's do what we always do and look forward to a few good games and the odd slip-up.
Rollercoasters r us!
Well you don't excactly need £4m worth of flood defences to contain the torrent of comments on here,do you plastic hammer? Infact i'd wager Wealdstone or Barnet can muster more interest on their fans blogs.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably because you're more often wrong than those couple of guys, HF!
ReplyDeleteGold & Sullivan have sanctioned some decent purchases recently and credit to them, things are looking positive. But most of the credit for this goes to Big Pam because they know they can't string him along because he is a proper manager. No messing around with poor decision making and back of the lorry purchases when it comes to dealing with a proper manager.
Also, you cannot blame people for criticising them in the past because it is a fact that they have made some awful decisions -- Grant being the worst of them. The fact that they are prone to making such bad decisions means there'll always be a question mark against them, especially regards their intentions.
The best thing they've done -- and most of it is Brady's work anyway -- is making the club financially more stable AND efficient. BUT, they have to do this because it is in their interest and that is their biggest motivation! Added to that is the fact there is so much more to lose not being in the top division.
Regards them buying and being linked with a better calibre of player recently; they have finally realised that success on the pitch equals success off it.
More challenging and critical periods lie ahead though, and I will be watching with ONLY the interest of my club at heart! :)
Some of us had faith in them from the beginning old boy but fair play for this post!
ReplyDeleteCreaming in? Really? And if you don't want the stadium why brown nose the way the deal's conducted?
ReplyDeleteLOL Aycliffe, a Reverend boasting about having faith! How very CoE! Can you be a bishop if you buy S&G's porn videos but never actually watch them? Or, indeed, if you share a bed with Morley without penetration, other than the wife's knife of course!
ReplyDeleteHope you and the family are well mate. Still in touch with del?
You actually know someone called del,you sad cockney cliche. Does it not bother you that Palace, Millwall and Orient get more comments on their fans blogs? 3 comments on here are mine.Oh the shame.
ReplyDelete10.24 that's because there are a lot more WHU blogs and forums then those three clubs put together!
ReplyDeleteOr could it be that the content of plastic hammers w,ham site isn't worth commenting on? Or it just attracts the scum of upton pk?
ReplyDelete17.29 "or it just attracts the scum of uptown pk" ......so as you have been attracted here, you must count yourself in that number?
ReplyDelete"upton park". Thick scum to boot.
ReplyDeleteAll well up here thanks Fanno and we are looking forward to making the trip to the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteI am in touch with a few of the old org crowd but have not been in touch with Del for a while. I have actually popped back on the org the last couple of days and enjoyed a bit of banter with OSP.
Where’s Marty these days?
In Spain for the cold months I suspect. Give my best to Pete.
ReplyDelete