As one who ‘gets the club’, Kevin Nolan is part of a small select group of ex-players now in the early stages of club management who fully understands the inner workings of West Ham United. Having successfully captained Sam Allardyce’s Hammers in a promotion-winning season and then stood on the touch line as David Moyes’ assistant, Nolan is in a unique position to offer advice to the club in these dark times.
Interviewed on SkySports, Nolan made the case for a step change in how West Ham deal with their own supporters as difficult decisions over player and manager futures lie ahead.
The Hammers’ Chairman has been widely criticised for the vanilla, bland ‘club statement‘ posted once relegation had been assured. Rather than fronting up and taking responsibility for the club’s demise, Sullivan continued where he left off after making a quick exit from the Stadium last Sunday with a bland, unsigned ‘corporate’ message posted on the web site.
Bland, corporate-style meaningless statements won’t cut it
Not good enough. Nolan would seem to agree. Correcting himself mid interview and choosing a more deferential term for the Hammers Chairman, “Sullivan – I mean Mr Sullivan”.. – Nolan, currently ‘between jobs’, could well have been offering himself up for a coaching role in the rebuilding of the club and was quick to suggest a new era of communication between board room and fan base is needed.
Former Moyes assistant Kevin Nolan has a lot to offer the dressing room
On the possible departures this summer:
“There’s got to be a conversation with Jarrod – where do we go – for the better of the club and for him, it’s probably got to be done quick..The more it drags on over the summer – we’ve seen what it’s done to Newcastle (over Isak):
I think it’s really important they get those messages out to the fan base- if Jarrod’s gonna go of if Jarrod’s staying: …Then let’s build another squad around him”
The Hammers could do worse than bring Kevin Nolan back into the coaching set up – after leaving Northampton Town in March, Nolan has been ‘choosing his options’. The former West Ham captain was a member of David Moyes’ coaching staff that helped secure the trophy win in Prague.
Nuno’s successor could do worse than bring him back into the fold as an assistant: He is exactly the combative, no compromise, no-nonsense coach which the wounded Hammers need right now and one who knows just what it takes to get out of this division.
Nunos replacement shouldn’t be told who to employ he should pick his own team ?
Pick all the gutless players and ex-players you can think of to get WHU back on track? I don’t think so. Get rid of them all and start over. The only guarantee I can see in these choices is that none of them will be long term. Neither Parker or Bilic have a coaching pedigree worth taking a chance on. They are just journeymen coaches floating around hoping for another millionaire payday., just like the three before them. Avoid these two and Dyche etc. or settle for more of the same in 6 – 12 month chunks until they have all had a shot.
Nuno got wolves out of the championship
Leadership role possibly for Nolan?
Let me be perfectly clear. He was Sullivan and Gold’s marquee signing. Symbolising the shift away from being a footballing club. Any semblance of what this club once stood for and bore our hallmark was lost with Allardyce, Nolan, Carroll et al.
I dont recognise him as a spokesperson for our club, innarticulate and devoid of any notion as to what modern football methods are. Maybe set piece coach at best.
This current board have steered us so far off course, we’ve actually forgotten what we used to look like.
We had a glimpse under Bilic 2015/16.
Payet lit the Premier League up alongside Lanzini.
Apart from that spectale, which thankfully Nolan wasn’t a part of we’ve steadily moved towards being a tepid, attritional football institution.
Boring manager after boring manager, rubbish non front foot playing style. Actuallly not stylish at all.
Can anybody cite a ‘ worldie ‘ goal scored or even a passage of play that has taken your breath away in the past decade?
Perhaps Kudos’ mazy run and dribble to score, maybe Carrolls bicycle kick volley 2016/17.
My point is this. Nolan and lumbering players of his elk, ain!t what we’re supposed to be all about.
Kevin Nolan and Scott Parker together to get us back up with the help of Mark Noble.
Just a thought outta left field
It seems likely that it will be Parker or Bilic to replace Nuno if he goes. Ok choices in my opinion but we really need someone that knows the championship so possibly Parker is the safer bet. Alot of buying and selling to be done, we will certainly nèed wide attacking players and central defenders that won’t cost much, so an assistant with knowledge of lower leagues may be ideal.
Kevin Nolan and Scott Parker together to see us through the Championship and back up.
Just a thought.
And Mark Noble in the background