Daily Telegraph journo Jason Burt has dared to go where where angels have feared to tread in the past this morning in raising a defence of Hammers owners David Gold and David Sullivan.
That’s not gonna stop the anti brigade presumably continuing to give it large of course but at least there’s some balance being presented into a campaign that has been rowdy and unpleasant over the last three or four years.
In opening his defence of the pair Burt declares: “Historic tweets are usually dredged up to cause embarrassment. But there is one from David Gold that, well, might just be pure gold for a far more positive reaction by the end of this season.
“There’s absolutely no reason why we can’t be playing in the Champions League in the next five years,” the West Ham United co-chairman declared… in September 2016 when they moved into the London Stadium.
The mention of such lofty ambitions which notably excludes the word promise has been used a stick to beat the 84 year old over and over again ever since.
On one occasion a totally disgusting Twitter response came in the shape of telling him to start believing in euthanasia. It gets no worse than that!
Burt continues in his piece: “This time last year West Ham were fretting about ‘points per game’, curtailment and whether they had enough to stave off relegation. It was more about the Championship than the Champions League.
They finished in 16th place on 39 points and came out of a transfer window in which the fans – and players, with captain Mark Noble tweeting – were furious about the sale of Grady Diangana. For the fans that was compounded when hopes of a big signing in central defence was followed by the arrival of Craig Dawson on loan from relegated Watford.
As ever the anger was directed at the board or, more specifically, Gold, co-chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady who had sold off Upton Park and taken West Ham to the soulless Olympic Stadium with the promise of something better only to end up like this.
He adds: “We said goodbye to our history for nothing,” as one fan wrote..
He adds that the return of David Moyes was key to everything that has happened since and admits that the owners will readily admit they got lucky in the manager’s return.
He says: “Moyes has put standards in place. Little things like taking the players and their wives out for meals during the gap between lockdowns but at the same time being very clear on discipline and imposing hefty fines on those who are late for training. West Ham are no soft touch under Moyes who has also organised them superbly on the pitch to maximise what he has got.
He argues that the Irons owners are now living with some reflected glory and adds: “After all nobody expected that tweet of David Gold’s to come back and haunt him.”
You can read the full piece at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/04/12/west-ham-owners-will-deserve-credit-fanciful-champions-league/
Jason Burt should remember that, should West ham qualify for the CL this season, it will be no more than a happy accident for GSB. They’ve got most of the big management decisions wrong: appointing Avram Grant, getting rid of Moyes in 2018 and appointing Pellegrini within days. GSB, including Gold, are very fortunate that Moyes was desperate enough to give them the time of day in December 2019. So, a CL spot, which I’m not convinced will serve us well in the longer term, will be the fans’ reward for having had to put up with the consequences of 10+ years of poor decision-making on the part of GSB. They’re getting no glory from me. Our good season, and that’s all it is so far, is happening despite them not because of them.
Yeah let’s give them no credit whatsover. That sounds a pretty balanced point of view
I’m struggling to think of anything that’s worked for them that appears to have been part of a long-term plan rather than correcting for earlier mistakes. For instance, getting promoted at the first time of asking, largely by recruiting Sam Allardyce, in isolation, deserves credit, Unfortunately, the need to appoint Allardyce was born out of the folly of appointing, and then sticking for with, Grant. More than happy to be proved otherwise, Hugh.
Some would say – as has always been the case with this club – that remaining at the top level is success. This season we are doing ok. I try not to live in the past cos it’s been the same as I can remember since 1962.
What gets my goat in all of this is that we would’t have seen ends meet at West Ham during Covid unless they had put 30m in a rights issue and Gold has now promoied up to another 40m. Happy accidents happen but they did actually swallow pride and go back for him. So much criticism for staying in the PL for 10 years. Beats me!
And who rescued us from Islandic bankruptcy in the first place!
I think the biggest problem that G and S have had is that they are local boys and committed West Ham fans. That has certainly influenced some of the poor decisions such as going along with fan pressure to get big name manager Pellegrini!
Despite this we are the 8th longest serving Premiership team. I am proud of the fact we are not owned by Russians, Chinese, Mid and Far East people who all have appalling human rights records and in some cases are involved in state sponsored murder of opponents!
Could hardly agree more. Sick of the protests in the name of support. Gold ready to put another £40 million in as well
Agreed……we could have five years in the Champs League and they still wouldn’t be happy. It would still be GSB OUT. It makes you wonder what would be required to at least give a positive comment or two. I actually think the time for new blood and money to come in is when we are flying high….so we can really kick on and cement ourselves in that top 6
I totally agree with Jason Burt & Hugh on this subject. If people can’t be generous enough to give credit when and where it is due then I doubt they actually get what being a supporter is all about and perhaps need to have a long look in a mirror and decide if they actually support West Ham United or some fringe protest movement which exudes negativity in spades and zero positivity, and if it’s the latter and you can’t bring yourselves to enjoy the ride of maybe our best season in living memory then perhaps it’s time to move on and let the rest of us enjoy it.
If we slag the owners in bad times we have to praise them in good times. Simple as that. GSB in.