6 Comments

Apathy rules at the Boleyn Ground

SamI just can’t get excited about this season but I can’t quite put my finger on why.

Speaking to my best mate and fellow season ticket holder this week he explained it as complete apathy from many Hammers we know.

We have all been worn down with continuous discussions about Sam Allardyce, Andy Carroll’s injuries, Morrison’s latest brush with the law and the debate about changing the crest.

It’s all become a bit boring and predictable – a bit like the football at the Boleyn ground last season.

It sad to admit I am wishing this season away as long as we secure Premier League survival.

Ditching the manager is no longer a single solution as we have built a team to play a particular way and besides that no-one else seems to want any of them, a view re-enforced by a lack of bids or enquiries from any teams for our players in this summer transfer window.

I missed the Spurs opening game as I was holiday but I will be going to Palace away this Saturday followed by the Blades on Tuesday night then the Saints the following Saturday.

Last season away days was the main excitement of the season, the home games became more chore which must be completed every two Saturday’s. As my best mate John said on numerous home games last season ‘A brilliant day out spoilt by 90 minutes of football’

None of us really believe we will get attacking football from the part time efforts of Teddy Sherringham and none of us really believe Big Sam will change but I for one are prepared to just grin and bear it and think of England.

The board decided to keep our manager in his last year of his contract, I want to ensure Premier League survival under the current manager and team this season and hope next summer brings a new manager and new team to recapture West Ham former glory.

It is sad that I am wishing the season away but I just hope I am proved wrong and I have yo eat these words as we play like Brazil or should that be Germany now.

 

 

 

About Sean Whetstone

I am Season Ticket Holder in West stand lower at the London Stadium and before that, I used to stand in the Sir Trevor Brooking Lower Row R seat 159 in the Boleyn Ground and in the Eighties I stood on the terraces of the old South Bank. I am a presenter on the West Ham Podcast called MooreThanJustaPodcast.co.uk. A Blogger on WestHamTillIdie.com a member of the West Ham Supporters Advisory Board (SAB), Founder of a Youtube channel called Mr West Ham Football at http://www.youtube.com/MrWestHamFootball, I am also the associate editor here at Claret and Hugh. Life Long singer of bubbles! Come on you Irons! Follow me at @Westhamfootball on twitter

6 comments on “Apathy rules at the Boleyn Ground

  1. Totally agree with you Sean. We need to get through this season and remain in the top flight. Seems like we signed a few really good lads this window (watch this space), but the priority now is to get someone that manage this talent. No disrespect to Sam, even though I cant stand him and think he is “Just about” living off his previous success??? I could not think of anyone worse than David Moyes! The two David’s need to really think about the next man at the top. Stop anymore transfers on the pitch and concentrate on Sam’s replacement!

    • Agreed, it’s not been much fun at Upton Park for quite a while.

      I’m not bothered whether it’s David Moyes, Tony Pulis, or whoever as long as it’s someone sensible, as long as BFS slings his hook – he is holding the Club back.

      Pulis would have my vote, his teams are really well organised.

  2. As a west ham supporter there always is and IMO always has to be a glass half full mentality.
    As far as all things claret and blue are concerned I am a bit of an eternal optimist.

    Even curing the many dark times, reoder, Harry, grant and now BS I have supported my team even if I have had little time for the people managing them.

    I can understand the war weariness that has engulfed a lot of supporters but I don’t understand whether it’s the style of football under BS or the way that some people can only see the negatives and even moan at the few chinks of light in the gloom of the last couple of years football, that has caused this malaise.

    There have been some encouraging signs this season. But I think the main problem is that supporters should be allowed to show their support for the team and comment objectively without feeling somehow guilty because they are not keen on the manager and even less thrilled with the style of football currently being played.

    It is IMO ok to be able to do both! After all, managers and tactics will come and go but we will always be west ham!

  3. Love them or hate them, G & S have done a fantastic job of stabilising the club after we teatered on the brink of bankruptcy. The BIG mistake they made was not so much appointing Allardyce, after all he did a good job in getting promotion and establishing us in the PL in the first season back, it was renewing his contact.. The man really does not fit our ethos, he has no real relationship with the fans and his football is deadly boring. He was a man of his time but a time that has passed. Sam has simply not evolved with the game. The apathy you feel, Sean, is shared by many and that could be a very, very significant cost to the club for the future. This was evident at the Spurs game. Yes, it was the first game of the season, with some still on holiday, but you would never expect the club to still be pushing to sell tickets for Spurs at home two days before the game. You only need to read some of the threads on other sites to realise that too many fans have lost the enthusiasm, though not the interest, in our club and it needs to be rekindled and fast.

    If G & S don’t come up with a plan, they are going to alienate more and more of the previously hardcore, long term fans, exactly the ones you can least afford to lose.

  4. Agreed Sean. It’s the inevitability of it all. We started to get excited with the promise of more attacking football as better, quicker, attacking players arrive. And then reality sunk in. Nolan will be first on the teamsheet. One player up top. Respect the point and play even more defensive away. I don’t understand it really. I appreceate the board can’t throw money around but this is now a serious situation on the point of getting worse. Sack him. Get a good new man in with some innovative thinking and with our current squad and focus on the new guys and youngsters things could really take off. Do nothing and this depressing malaise continues.

  5. Agree with all comments made, at Saturdays game the optimism of all around me drained as the team was read out – O’Brien, Vaz Te, Nolan, and Cole up front on his own. When Spurs went down to 10 no change of tactics, when we went down to 10 our best midfielder on the day dropped in the the back and we lost the midfield. Each day I scour the social networks, read any gossip on BBC and Sky looking for a signing or two to add to a thin squad, we have an abundance of midfield players and only 4 of 5 places as Nolan is in regardless, we need an additional centre half but we knew that last season, god forbid Arsenal make a bid bid for Winnie. BFS will not play Zarate that’s his two fingers to the Daves, expect Valencia to play up on his own but he does not strike me as a leader of the line. And yes we do have a glass half full otherwise why did I renew my season ticket (no really why did I)? Two up front or at least one with some legs supported by an attacking midfielder, is it too much to ask. I know it is only one game in but you do not have to be a football expert to know things are not going to change whilst this manager is in place, I hunk he loves snubbing his nose to the board and to the supporters such is his arrogance. The Daves promised to listen to the supporters but really either bottled getting shot of him during the off season or the thought of handing him millions was to much to stomach. I like the signings made I just hope they get to play and then play in a more attacking formation – one up front at home does not lift the crowd and in turn that gets to the players. I feel better now, until Saturday obviously. COYI

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