My last post suggesting that we keep hold of Allardyce certainly inspired a lot of debate, both for and against in the 21 comments so far. I'd agree with the critics that Kevin Nolan has had his chance and Allardyce is not being clinical in his selection, and that Downing has to stay at the tip of the diamond. Less so with the idea that BFS reverts to type with Carroll in the side. Big Andy actually played well up until his injury and scored five goals, and was normally played with a second striker. He was always going to get games with Sakho injured.
Generally though, retaining Allardyce guarantees we'll still be in the Premier League for the move to the Olympic Stadium and offers the prospect of becoming a top six side if he matches his record at Bolton. If it ain't broke…
The whole debate got me thinking, have WHU fans ever been completely happy with the manager? Of course some fans have, but never everyone. Post-1966 Ron Greenwood received a lot of stick for failing to win trophies with three World Cup winners. Back in the 1980s I remember some graffiti reading "Lyall - murderer of West Ham" outside the North Bank.
Lou Macari had a lot of stick in his six months, although Billy Bonds was too much of a legend to inspire open dissent even after a miserable relegation, though many believed he wasn't managerial material. Harry Redknapp got the club to fifth, but still wasn't liked by some fans and got stick for playing his nephew Big Fat Frank.
After a decent first season Glenn Roeder managed to go down with a set of great players, suffered the ignominy of the "we want a new back four!" chant and sadly had his house attacked by some idiots. Alan Pardew was initially mistrusted for signings like Adam Nowland, but ultimately got his own chant after the 2006 FA Cup Final.
Alan Curbishley masterminded the great escape, but then received grief for boring football and always keeping the team in tenth position. Zola was liked but then abused after a terrible home defeat to Wolves and two seasons of struggle. While Avram Grant was derided by virtually everyone, but loved by Millwall fans
Managers always divide opinion because football is a game of passion. It's like my fellow season-ticket holder Matt and referees — he's yet to see a good one. It wouldn't be the game we love if a sizeable portion of every club's fans didn't think the gaffer was useless.
3 comments:
"Generally though, retaining Allardyce guarantees we'll still be in the Premier League for the move to the Olympic Stadium".
RUBBISH!
Retaining Allardyce guarantees this much; the club's fans will remain divided and pitted against each other until he's replaced by someone who EVERYONE can get behind!
If David Sullivan doesn't want a repeat of last Sunday then I'd advise him to make his next managerial appointment under the advisement of the fans who are paying into his pockets to watch what's being served up by his current ego-maniacal arrogant mercenary who he suffered upon us. Even that wouldn't have been necessary if he hadn't have given Grant the role after the embarrassing displacement of Zola. Passions run high in football and there's no more passion in anyone than the fans who follow their team around the country week after week. What did he really expect when he made another bad decision by engaging them?
In the five seasons the chairmen have been here last summer was the first time they did any good business in the transfer window. Unless they're going to get a manager in who can get the best out of these players then what a waste of theirs and everyone else's money and time - Again!
Let's remember Sullivan and Gold saved the club when it was £90m in debt… and Sullivan is an elderly man who didn't deserve the treatment he got at WBA even if it was a rubbish performance. Allardyce is very unlikely to get WHU relegated next season - with a new manager we'd be risking the drop if it goes wrong. And the point is in the League Allardyce has got the best out of the players so far - we've over performed not under performed. Surely a good way of uniting the club is to get behind the current manager - every manager we've ever had has had his critics and I'm not sure the perfect manager exists.
People keep talking about replacing Allardyce with someone everyone can get behind, but I'm not seeing any suggestions. Gus Poyet is tipped in today's papers, but I doubt he'd be welcomed by everyone, although I imagine Diego would be chuffed. Bilic? Steve McLaren? If we appointed Mourinho some Hammers would slaughter him for the Chelsea connection. I presume Pep Guardiola would be popular (he almost signed as a player a few years ago) but we may not be able to tempt him.
I predict I'll see a half-decent ref before we get a manager everyone likes.
I also predict that if we win today, people will calm down a bit. COYI
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