Karren Brady has gained a deserved reputation for saying the wrong thing at the wrong place at the wrong time.
But it’s very hard to disagree with her comments regarding the mooted return of Mark Arnautovic to the hammers this summer.
Claret and Hugh readers made their feelings clear recently voting by a two thirds majority that they wanted nothing more to do with the bloke.
And everb were one to overlook his history at the club when militating for a move to China, at 32 he’s hardly of the required age profile.
Brady, however, is in no mood to consider anything other than hi behaviour and that of his pesky brother/agent whilst at the London Stadium which forced us to sell him at probably way below his market value.
And as his her way she had absolutely no problem saying so in her notorious Sun column.
Making her position crystal she declared: “Marko Arnautovic left West Ham two years ago after a shortish but successful stay — successful in goals terms at least.
The Austrian and his feckless agent-brother decided riches offered by Shanghai SIPG overbid the recent contract he had signed at West Ham and consequently there was a bad atmosphere around.
Again, we were forced to let him go. Arnautovic has now done his Marco Polo exploration to China and wants to return home.”
Well she is correct IMO. He signed a lucrative contract with a ‘loyalty’ bonus, he then reneged on it with his brother and set about a policy of disruptive behaviour in the club to force his exit at a cost to us. The survey shows that us fans regard loyalty and effort very highly, and it would be a fool to invite selfish mayhem back into a happy dressing room. That goes for Poyet as well. Forget them.
Half of what she said is missing.
“Arnautovic has now done his Marco Polo exploration to China and wants to return home. A football club is actually a delicate mechanism, built on trust and team integrity. Every man or woman must pull their weight or the edifice falls, sometimes to the division below.”
“Nothing cracks the walls like the fakers of injury and non- triers whose disruption stems from wanting their own way. Team-mates know who they are and soon there may be havoc in the dressing room. I have heard of fights in the showers and even a punch-up involving the manager.”
“The trick where possible is not to let it get to the point where a player wants to leave. This is not always possible and is particularly the case when a star is not tempted by wealth.”
Personally I’d rather she kept her mouth shut and let Moyes do the talking regarding a player he could potentially want back. I’m sure I seen an article saying that Noble would have a problem taking him back if its good enough for Mr West ham nd Moyes its good enough for me im certain they know a lot more than training ground atmosphere than Karen does.
Wouldnt have a problem*
Well said Karen. I know she has her doubters as do the owners but she’s right – I’ve always liked Marko but must have been a real weak moment bending over to his brothers greed. One could see this when he was in China as he was clearly shocked at the energy and work rate demanded by the Chinese. Too late now sunny and enjoy the Alps this summer – COYI
I’m sure as a senior figure in any business you would have to compromise your feelings to succeed. I’m not saying Arnie would be make or break for West Ham but the success of the team ON THE FIELD activities should be down to the head coach / manager and not the part time current bun columnist/ BBC extra / chairperson for a pension vacuum that is commenting on it at the moment.
Your feelings might be hurt but you don’t know these people personally and should trust the people that do. Brady has no place second guessing ANY signing our manager is even contemplating making.
Bold assumption of you to make that I don’t think morals and ethics are important.
Also assuming that I want him back. My point was clear I don’t think she should be talking about the managers potential targets in that way of course she can have her opinion but maybe don’t post it in the sun,keep her opinion within the club. She talks about riffs in the dressing room, a riff between the people that look after the footballing matters and the ones that look after the business is also damaging.
All in all its unessary for her to talk about those club matters in the public domain.
If its the fans opinion on social media it’s not going to affect Moyes’s ability to shape a squad, but Bradys hamfistedly trying to repopularise herself with the fans by making colorful comments that undermine the manager, his choices and his ability to bring in the players that he wants. I haven’t forgotten what Arnie and his brother did, none of the fans have, but we also remember his ability. It’s up to Moyes as manager to decide if he can manage the guy, not Brady, NEVER Brady. She’s supposed to be there to maintain the smooth running of the business not fan the flames of her own vanity. Utterly unprofessional.
She has every right to voice an opinion; she is partly responsible for the everyday running of the club. HammerPete’s seems to be the only opinion attached to morals and ethics, the rest of you don’t seem to think they are important. I wonder how you’d feel if similar behaviour landed on your own door steps.
He put his personal greed and that of his brother’s ahead of his employer. You guys who want him back do that at work on Monday morning and see whether you’d be welcomed back after two years. Best of luck
In business, if you’re a performer and you have a decent manager, being a bit high maintenance is a small price to pay. Do you not think that after David Moyes’s solid recruitment he should be given benefit of doubt? Right now Brady is being as disruptive to out recruitment as Arnie’s brother was to our locker room.
The running of the club extends to signing cheques and interviewing senior members of staff. I can assure you, Brady doesn’t pop in at half time and give the team a pep talk and she’s definitely not on the training field day in day out like our team and coaching staff are. In business you pay others that are more capable than yourself to do those jobs, and from what I see Brady is only good at being a plus one on the BBC and stealing pensions with the ex boss of Topsham.
Also, morality and money hasn’t existed in Football since Marc Bosman took his employers to court. Do you want every player that plays for us to be buried in the West Ham section of the East Ham cemetery? They’re there to make money and hopefully win trophies if they’re good enough (Declan will go eventually, sorry to break the news). Players move on for these reasons but a good relationship with a Manger will keep talent for longer than than sometimes the club deserves and you’re being naive to think otherwise. If Arnie came back for mercenary reasons and the club could make a second payday on his, that would be awesome.
Good luck with your hurt feelings but Football is a business and no matter how passionately we feel about the club, the success of the club takes more than emotion.
Your childish response is your opinion and I believe you have every right to have it, as do I mine.
Karen Brady has the right, as do we all, to an opinion. She should park it there.
My feelings are mixed. In the right frame of mind Arnie is a handful on the pitch – and, in the wrong state of mind, a handful off it.
Do we want to go there again with Arnie? That’s for David Moyes to say despite Karren’s opinion. At 32 surely he is no more than a short term fix. And the deal with him should be short term. You used us to suit yourself Arnie – now it’s our turn. Take it or leave it. What goes around comes around.
Wee Davey has been hired to make a success of the football team. The owners chose to employ him because of his ability to align with their direction and sentiment. Karren is not undermining David Moyes or interfering with his job. She is calling a spade a spade. Arnie did OK for a bit but obviously he is not the kind of individual to be employed by and represent West Ham. How many times should we persue Joey Beauchamp? Payet? Carroll? Wilshere? Dyer? Karren Brady has a point and she also has the means to air that point. Well said Karren.
COYI
We did warn you when he did the same to us at Stoke. The guy is a money grabbing snake and so is his leech of his brother.