By CandH blogger Allen Cummings
It’s been a hell of a week to be a West Ham United supporter.
In truth it’s been a hell of a few weeks. Fingers have been pointing at the manager, the players and predictably the board for a – but the last seven days, since the defeat at Burnley, the criticism has been particularly acrimonious.
Some will say with justification, and it’s hard to argue against that. We’ve all felt the frustration. But isn’t it time to say enough is enough for now at least.
For me Claret and Hugh forum member Mark Bish summed it up perfectly with this comment: “So much negativity around the club let’s give it a rest for a bit yes!” I couldn’t agree more, Mark.
Our next home game is a big one. Whenever we face the Spuds it’s always guaranteed to stir the emotion – as it should. There is never any love lost between them and us – that’s how we like it.
So why would we go into that game in a negative frame of mind? What purpose does that serve? Many have questioned the manager’s powers of motivation in recent weeks. What kind of motivational message does it send out if our own fans are predicting the worst?
I’ve seen the suggestions that Kane and Son will tear our defence apart. West Ham fans pointing out the spuds haven’t won away in 12 Premier League games and they’ll only have to turn up to end that run. Predictions that Roberto is bound to ‘throw one in’.
Why would you want to gift the opposition the ammunition to laugh in your face? It’s a weird way to support your team, in my book. And definitely not one to which I subscribe and never have done.
Here’s a thought. How about we listen to Mark – and call a halt to all that negativity and recrimination – at least until after next Saturday. It might go against the grain for some, but let’s try to be positive next week.
Talk about the reasons for us to win for a change – not lose. In case you hadn’t noticed the spuds are only one point ahead of us. So not exactly where they expected to be at all. It means they’ve been misfiring too. Let’s concentrate on their shortcomings for a change. COYI
Normally West Ham v Spurs would stir the emotions but lets look at this ratilnally. Neither Ponchetto or Pellegrini or their teams understand it. Nobes is probably the only West Ham player who does .
Its just down to basic bragging rights now.
After two years on the waiting list (paying for the ‘privilege’) and being offered a ‘take it or leave it’ opportunity to take up a season ticket in any of the distant seats suddenly available after stadium expansion and safety permissions, I paid a high price for two seats I would not have ordinarily chosen to see my beloved West Ham with my son every home game. Money well spent I would argue if at every game the players showed as much resignation and commitment to making the best of a far from ideal situation as I do every time I sit with my son in the dizzy heights of the West Stand. I think it is fair to say that life long West Ham fans are used to the ‘fade and die’ dreams that surge every new season and every false dawn. I cannot recall a recent season that did not fill me with hope of a top 4 finish, a successful cup run and a trophy to add to my sparse recollections of my 60 years on the planet as a Hammers fan. Despite the disappoints, I turn up … my team doesn’t! Too frequently it wakes up with fifteen minutes to go and teasingly shows the grit and determination that I had when I set off to get to the game on time. From the start, I am full of expectation and a burning desire to see my team play to the best of their ability … to move the ball deftly at pace and to create so many chances that even Carlton Cole would have eventually taken one if he still played. But no … every game seems to be pedestrian and almost like an international friendly where the result doesn’t matter and no-one wants to get hurt. Please, can we ask the team to offer value for money to fans like me … after every game I face a hoard of school kids acutely aware of my allegiance to the Irons with my ironic smile and ‘they needed the points more than us’ or ‘we’re focussing on the league’ quotes trotted out according to the extent of the shame and the defeat. No, we all know West Ham lose … fans like me can cope with that … we have seen it all before. But have we? I would argue we are not accustomed to failing with such abject apathy. Our players are paid a good portion of my annual salary every month and do not seem to care enough to put in a ‘shift’ … they approach the game with as much enthusiasm as I might muster at a Parents Evening. Play with passion, play with pace, look forward, pass back on occasions if you must, but look like you care! Because, God (who incidentally is a Hammers fan) knows the fans do … or at least the ones that aren’t football tourists out to experience Premier league football at the Olympic Stadium … Oh yes, the dizzy heights houses a far splattering of ‘one off fans’ alongside the Claret and Blue through and through … no wonder the atmosphere is not that of the Boleyn much less that of the Chicken Run days. I’d be happy if we made me proud to be Hammers fan … we beat Man Utd and made me smile we went down in a blaze of glory when Stevie g broke our hearts with a ‘hit and hope’ wonder goal he could not repeat if you paid him our last FA Cup final and I crowd my pride for supporting a team with the good grace to ‘turn up and play!’ Can we please, get the message through to the players … watching you isn’t a cheap hobby, so if you don’t plan on refunding me each weak, make me think I’m getting value for my money … at the moment, I clearly am NOT!
Stevie C you covered it all there mate, basically its a season thats over for us, the cup will be a joke [if we get a low team in the draw TV will cover it live as we are usually a walkover for playing 11 blokes with passion . I gave my tickets up this season after over 50 years and i have not missed it one bit. Crap journey, crap stadium and the club is rotten to the core, even Newcastle are better than west ham with all there problems ,
Rubbish ! When the team decides to turn up and put a shift in, then they will get support.
The players have taken the p**s for far too long now !
Roll your sleeves up and just try to justify your ridiculous inflated salaries !!
“…….Some will say with justification, and it’s hard to argue against that. We’ve all felt the frustration. But isn’t it time to say enough is enough for now at least.”
Apart from the filling of some blank space, in every article, you make a plea and then contradict or try to qualify your own comments:
In my experience, fans ARE pumped up before ANY game and irrespective of previous results and performances. No one starts a season expecting the worst.
It is the ensuing, now inevitable deflation which causes the barrage of comments between games, which is anyone’s right and nowadays, richly deserved,
More’s the pity.
xxit flows in One direction and so does the Buck.
The finger wagging is either merited or it is not.
Make your own mind up, stick with it, BUT do extract the splinters from your backside.
No sorry let’s not put them away..I will stop pointing fingers when our delusional manager does one and the players Actually work for 90 min..wich could be few season’s yet ….absolute clowns…let’s not let this go like we normally do ….it’s time they gave us something to cheer about …