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Exclusive: Bonzo opens up on the Irons issues

medium_billybondsHammers living legend Billy Bonds has sent a “don’t panic ” message to Irons fans everywhere and declared: “Trust the manager – he will know what’s wrong and I believe he will put it right.”

Speaking exclusively to ClaretandHugh he added: “We won’t be hanging around the bottom for too long – there’s too much talent in the team for that.”

Bonzo has only seen the team once this season – against Bournemouth – and said: “It’s incredibly difficult at the stadium to anything we knew at the Boleyn.

“I was way up beyond the press box area and really didn’t feel a part of things but although my personal preference would have been to stay at Upton Park I understand why it was done.

full_Bonds_Billy_781226Csport“Football now is about money, money, money – it applies to every club in the land and it’s no good moaning about it. You either keep up with the others or get left behind so it had to happen.

“From the playing point of view, the squad will have to get used to it but we also have to accept that in the meantime other clubs will come here and feel very comfortable in the surroundings. The Boleyn it’s not.”

The shocking start hasn’t necessarily been a big shock to Billy who said: “There’s been a lot of change at the club – the move away from Green Street to a totally different stadium and the arrival of 12 or 13 new players.

“I believe that was done because we had four competitions to compete in but the exit from Europe has made that a little difficult now.

Injuries are always a problem. For some reason, unlike in my day when players went down, you tend to immediately think they will be out for weeks .

“Last summer we had an incredible window. Every single signing lived up to and beyone expectations. It was very unlikely that would happen again but there’s plenty of gifted players in the club and I’m convinced we’ll be fine.

“We’ve had more than our share of injuries and Payet and Lanzini will need a little time to recreate their partnership but a massive miss has been Aaron Cresswell. We’ll be a very different team when he is back!

“Ok we have fallen into the bottom three tonight (Sun) but we’ll be ok. It will be sorted. I’m pretty well certain of that.”

And he asked us to pass on his deepest thanks to the supporters with whom he has such a special relationship.

He said: “Please tell the fans how much I appreciate the way they have treated me. I have a fantastic relationship with them and that humbles me. They have been amazing to me and they really are the best.”

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

12 comments on “Exclusive: Bonzo opens up on the Irons issues

  1. ecessarilLeytony ???
    Someone been on the cooking sherry 😉
    Good article I was only joking about the spelling.Im not sure the calming,reassuring words of the The Master will cut much ice amongst some of our more wobbly kneed fans however!

  2. Bonds was not only a great player, but also a wise man, even though I still have some concerns… the wet side of the force says maybe Slav is just not right for us, Bonds says the exact opposite… I don’t know who to believe or to trust… it’s the clash of the titans.. haha 😉

    • How can you have any doubts Matte.I have learnt the Wetside of the force are never wrong are they.
      Dont let Billy fool you into believeing his sly,crafty words 😀
      Bonzo talks much sense,he has more footballing knowledge in his little toe than some of our expert fans!!

      • Haha… you almost had me convinced Tone, but the experts have the x factor, don’t forget it… lol 😀

    • Lol trust your instinct mate….mines telling me exactly what bonds is ….that bilic will get it right …

  3. What the team needs now is a Billy Bonds type of player someone to gee up the team & never gives up running, unfortunately the new players do not ( so far ) appear to be in the same mould.
    It is now up to Bilic to earn his money.

    • Isn’t Noble ment to do that.I mean I read he is one of our own,has claret & blue blood running through his veins.Shouldnt he be our Billy Bonds in the present,i mean he is captain.

  4. well said Billy! just got to get on with it! no one likes change, we need a leader like you out there!

  5. Billy wouldn’t have put up with any passengers or shirkers on the pitch that is for sure.The same as he wouldn’t have had much time for the self pity some fans are showing about the move.

  6. Hi Billy,hope you had a great 70th birthday yesterday!!

  7. Nice to see Bonzo on here speaking.What a legend this bloke is.I wonder if his wise words have any calming effect or a % of our support think they know better than the real deals of the club Lol My money is on them still thinking they know better 😛

  8. Great article, no nonsense common sense, well said Billy? Belated Happy Birthday COYI!!!

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