12 Comments

Irons job done – so credit where its due

SHoping that people will be thanked when they do a decent job in this social media network dominated age is a bit like hoping a mugger will give you your stolen wallet back!

Sometimes you just have to watch appalled as more and more abuse is poured on people who have invested time, patience, hard-earned money,emotional energy and incredible stress into doing their jobs. Listening to some you would think they were trying to fail!

And yes, I’m talking about the likes of David Sullivan and David Gold both of whom have been accused of wrecking deals “by operating through the media, opening their gobs too much, wooing season ticket holders on the strength of transfers that won’t happen” and much worse.

Much of it is usually accompanied with some of the foulest and unnecessary language possible, as if this somehow reinforces the argument rather than shows those doing the talking to be total cretins.

What’s so much worse however is that when the very deal for which they are being attacked with monotonous regularity actually happens there’s barely a word of congratulations or gratitude.

I’m not suggesting for one minute that the Hammers owners want it or seek it. They are simply doing their jobs along with the manager.

However, when their plan and player comes together as has just happened I reckon the ones who have handed out the crap should at least offer an apology. The same of course is true in reverse!

The deal which brought a fine young prospect to the club from Anderlecht was one of the most difficult in our recent history and despite those who love to knock before they think it was a deal often in danger.

That the Hammers with the chairman and the manager at the helm, drove it through is today a cause of great celebration.

Some may not agree but in a football world which operates under veils of secrecy and downright lies, I’m glad to have a couple of guys at the helm who make themselves freely available to the social media and beyond.

The vast majority of fans are brilliant but to those who wants to swear, curse, damn and complain when they really haven’t a clue what’s going on just three words:

Listen and learn!

 

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 “Irons job done – so credit where its due

  1. Hear, Hear. Very well put.

    Let me be the first, (although second I guess!), through your vanguard West Ham news site, to offer those at the club who have worked so hard on securing this deal, many congratulations and very many thanks. It would be nice for them to know that the (mostly) silent majority appreciate what they have done and continue to do for the club. We would be in dire straits without them.

  2. Couldn’t agree more. A positive article and here was me thinking this website was an anti allardyce anti west ham management website that only discusses the negative aspects and when things aren’t going to happen. Two excellent signings later zarate karate top Argie goal scorer and chicken coyote a promising midfielder not a defender and things are suddenly looking up. Not only should the two David’s be given credit but also the massive role in the transfer played by Sam allardyce. The fact allardyce went to watch him play and broke off his holiday to sign the player was one of the reasons given by the player himself as to why he decided to sign for west ham. Credit where credit is due … To mr Sam allardyce

  3. Have you had a personality change or was someone else blogging for you last season?!! Another pro owner and Sam article 2 in 2 weeks and im starting to think you are moving out of the anti Sam brigade!. Couldn’t agree more with this article and lets start spreading the realism early its great to see us signing players who appear to have the quality to do well in the PL but the other clubs who we compete with in the bottom half will all be improving their squads so it doesn’t automatically mean we will be challenging for Europe next season although clearly thats what we must and appear to be aiming for. Personally id be happy with a decent run of good home performances like the season before last, a comfortable top 10 finish and a cup run, we had a good one last season but it got lost in the dire straits we found ourselves in during Dec\Jan!

    • LOL. Just try to be honest St Ed. If I feel strongly either way I’ll say so. I have never been a lover of Sam’s football and I think it’s unlikely I ever will. Having said that, despite much of the vitriol I can and do attract, I like to think I’m relatively balanced 🙂

  4. And, of course, thanks to all those in the background. The hard working shadows!

  5. Well said Hugh ! too many numbskulls troll these sites who spout their vitriolic probably alcohol fueled rants about the owner and manager without having the least comprehension of what it takes to run a club these days . Praise where praise is due .

  6. Well said Hugh. If only all sites were at very least balanced then that would be a start. Indeed if their posters were at very least balanced. Why some authors of these sites and their posters continue to support West Ham is beyond me at times.

    We have made 2 very strong signings and we have released players that we all know we had to release to move on from last year.

    What is more we have had 2 reasonable seasons and one not so good so let’s support our club in moving on next season.

    The owners are good people and supporters of our club they deserve better than the dogs abuse some people give them. The noisy minority in my view.

    Keep it up Chairmen.

  7. Yes indeed credit where its due . I am one who would like to say a big well done to the the 2 Davids and big Sam for getting the 2 early transfers through. After the fiasco of last year its great to see the ambition of all involved in making these deals happen . it is also great to see that (early days I know) that the 2 players seem to want to be here playing for our great club . I hope they continue to have the hunger to improve as players and be successful with West Ham. Welcome to our new signings ,

  8. its that wonderful time of the year- world cup, transfer season, nothing on the pitch just yet… its tough not to be optimistic at this point because we have not started playing.

    the gaffer slowly but surely dragged me into the down with sam camp starting around boxing day… and then we had some good weeks, got healthy… and then it was still just tough plodding…

    2 davids really do seem to care about the future of the club and i think that’s why sam is still here. there is no chance we can afford to not be in the premiership as we get ready for this move and the financial common sense being used this off season (please don’t mention big andy’s deal again… ever) shows them looking to build us for the future… tough not to be happy at the moment, but filled with trepidation

    come on england today and c’mon you irons

  9. Dear oh dear Hugh
    Keep on like that you’ll go down with cherry blossom poisoning.
    They get all the praise, and stick they deserve.
    You know they run the club on the cheap,
    In my opinion they have ripped up everything I thought made this club different from the rest,
    “Moore than a football club”
    Moore like
    “Just another football club”
    Being sponsored by a foreign exchange company is about right, they concerned more about the foreign fans and their money than those that kept the club going in the 17 years they were in Birmingham .

  10. Agree with this. I know these guys do not have bottomless pockets but they are the best owners I can remember. I want the club managed in a way that is sustainable. I do not want us over extending and going the way of Portsmouth or Leeds.

    As to playing things close to their chests with transfers – do people seriously think that the player’s agent will not be on to every potential club talking his boy up and seeing what terms he can get? Like it or not, that’s the agents job.

    Great as a fan to hear about the possibilities in the closed season – almost always the most positive time of year!

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