West Ham is again at the centre of bashing by media – an occupation which appears to have become football’s favourite pastime.
Despite poll upon poll showing that David Moyes was barely the flavour of this or any other month, his departure has been seized on as a a big mistake by journalists – normally of course among the most disliked people in the country!
ITV and BBC Sports presenter and journalist Jacqui Oatley is one of a number media people to weigh in with the Women in Football ambassador said: “Everything I hear from people who work at West Ham (or have left) is that it’s “carnage”. Referring to the way the club is run and the mixed messages from upstairs”
It might help if some names were given or a description of the carnage she is discussing were revealed – it’s called putting flesh on the bones of a story.
Meanwhile, Daily Telegraph journalist Matt Law added to the criticism by saying: “Rafa Benitez would have to be absolutely insane to go to West Ham – in fact anyone would with the current ownership.”
Not sure Rafa needs any help in making his career choices by a reporter but there you go.
BT sports commentator Darren Fletcher said yesterday “I feel for the West Ham fans again today – what chance has the club got with this mob in charge. So dysfunctional.
Yes they’ll get another manager who may well be successful but it won’t paper over the genuine cracks (or valleys) that exist between owners & fans”
Former Hammer and Sky Sports pundit Tony Cottee once again joined the outcry of which he has been a long term member by telling Talksport: “There is not one person on that board who has got any football experience or any knowledge about football. They haven’t got a 
Trevor Brooking anymore to advise the board, who is making the decision on who’s going to be the next manager?
I’m reading they want a manager to take them to the next level; well the next level is to have some stability at the club, surely?
I just don’t understand it, I really don’t understand what is going on at my football club. And before anyone says anything about me just being a media pundit, I’ve got two season tickets, I pay a lot of money, I go to watch the team – I’ve got as much right as the average fan to give an opinion on it.
I’m so fed up of what is going on at my club; it’s getting on my nerves now.”
We understand that there are deep rooted issues at the club which have to be sorted but we also need to remember that the media has a vested interest in creating as much drama as possible in order to help themselves thrive on the “running story of the moment.”
I wish the media would just let us get on with it now, rather then keep sticking there beak in with snidely comments about the owners.
Some times they cant win, they appointment Moyes on a temporally appointment to keep us up. You have to say it was a good discussion, and I remember being a lot of noise from West ham fans saying he would relegate us. A lot of fans wanted us to appoint Pardew instead. So they got that discussion correct in the end.
However there was a lot of noise that they didn’t like his style of football and he wasn’t the manager to take us forward. So they decided to not offer a new contact and try to get a high caliber manger.
Now if they don’t do this, then they deserve the stick, however if they do managed to get Raffa or a manager of his quality’s I think they should be owed some credit. The problem is that wont happen, they will just move on to the next thing to moan about.
Agree. I dont like the way it went but on the upside the announcement said they will present a new manager within 10 days (now 8). And, as lunatic I think the board looks at the moment they have got to have someone lined-up. Otherwise why making such a suicidal move. Hence I think its all done and dusted with the next Mr. X and its one of a surprise. Feels a bit like Easter and Christmas all together.
i Heard Tony cottees rant on talk sport and everything he said was spot on. It’s the shady underhand way in which they go about things. Leaking things to the media, Interviewing people for Moyes job while he’s still in it. Then expecting him to be interviewed for his own job. Shameful. Yet Moyes and Bilic before him have been nothing but honourable, honest and dignified in the face of it. Who wants to come and manage a club where they’ve just got rid of 2 managers in one season? All the scandal, violence, controversy, anti board demonstrations, anti manager keyboard warriors. Circus. Who wants to walk into that?
I just want to point out that as soon as the final whistle blew after the Everton game he was no longer our manager, and was a free agent.
At last the media are getting it – The club is a complete mess and the architects are not listening or ,continually, blaming others – managers,players,fans,keyboard warriors,malcontents,bad luck, the Stadium operators, the Mayor.
We have no DOF or head of recruitment, just a pair of co-owners who cannot seem to be on the same page when it comes to making public statements, we have no long term policy.We lunge from one drama to the next, pretty much by the week!We have a Vice Chairman who puts more effort into idle gossip and diverting blame than she has ever done for running a football club.Finally we have David Sullivan who chooses the managers and most of the (good) players! We deserve better and that does not,necessarily, mean throwing more money at it – It means having a clear plan and strategy that managers buy into – not just endless soundbites about “next level” or “show of intent” signings! and ending up with “panic signings” and “short term fixes”
We are the best fans in the land and we deserve better than this.
The correct thing to do would have been to give Moyes a years contract then If Moyes wasn’t up to scratch in a years time replace him with Benitez whose contract would be up at Newcastle at the same time. Could be that in a years time Moyes would have had us top eight while Benitez would be getting Newcastle relegated. Who knows but we will never know because instead of conducting themselves honourably our owners are cowards who are catering to vocal minority’s groups because they’re scared of them.
I disagree that it’s the right thing to do. If Moyes signed a two year deal, then I agree it would be the right thing to do but he didn’t.
We gave Moyes a 6 month contact to do a job. He did this job, so I thank him for it. He and the club then said at the end of the season we would see if it’s the right thing to do for him to stay or on or part ways.
If we can get Raffa (which I know is a big if) then I think he would be a better manager for us.
However I still thank Moyes for his time at the club, and I wish him all the best in his future. It wont of done his CV any harm taking us on for the 6 month period, and he had his nice 2million bonus, so I don’t think we need to feel to sorry for him.
Agree 100% Geo h
I’m quite happy for the media to have their say, firstly that’s their job, secondly the more people that shout it from the roof tops, the way the club is being run, then hopefully the owners will do something about I. But I doubt it. 🙁
Who the heck is Jacqui Oatley ?? . Just another girl commentating on SkybSports .
Do I really want to listen to that !! No I don’t .
There is one thing that every disgruntled West Ham fan must get used to and admit ; the two Dave’s saved us from oblivion with Thier investment and commitment . If it wasn’t for them we would probably be in the lower divisions wondering if we would ever see west ham again . ,,,, but having said that they have proceeded to let us down as loyal fans . We were happy for a while with the signing of various managers but , despite everything the fans would never be happy ,,,, True so far ?? . Ok , Now we have arrived at the moment of truth and it’s time to deliver the promises they sold to fill the seats in a Athletics Stadium .
We had the chance with Moyes to get a bit more forward but some fans want overnight success . Dream on , it doesn’t happen like that lads . Had our chance and blew it .
Now we need a manager to take us to the ever illusive “ upper level “ Whatever the hell that is when we are scraping the sea bed for scraps .
The obvious solution is to sell the club … but to whom and at what price … the price of losing all of our identity to the Yanks , Chinese , Arabs or whatever ,,,, no thanks . I want to have my club remain a family club … become greater by our own ambition and not by the money grabbing ambitions of others that want to steal away the Premiership from England where football was invented and sown into the fabric of world sport . Sounds like I’m ranting now but , seriously I am worried for the future of English football and the FA and the Premiership . Television has ruined our National Game . And it’s been over 40 yrs in the making . Sky Sports think they are judge and jury over everything English football is all about and they have systematically ruined everything . Pundits here , pundits there and pundits everywhere . Great wages being clever but know nothing about the game and the passion and heart of the people that love Thier clubs and English football . Being a journalist for some is just another wage packet. ,,, but for us as fans and supporters it is far more than that ,,,, it is our lives and our very existence, it’s what helps us breath everyday.
Well put.
Hi Kevin, some good points, certainly agree with the owners saving us etc also that we won’t be champions league overnight and need stability, something the Dave’s do not appear to be providing behind the scenes or more DS and KB to be honest. personally I don’t mind what nationality any new owners are if they are interested in building for the long term COYI !!!
you have it one Kevin and i am in total agreement with all that you put. I’m really disgusted in how the owners have gone about this but fear as per they will not listen to anything anyway and that will come to a point where the (new fans) fans will just go
I feel that the media backlash against the owners is justified. They made promises following the Burnley debacle and now seem set to renege on them – Sully just won’t be able to stop interfering in transfers and other matters. The official statement on the website yesterday said that there will be no further comment until a manager is appointed yet today there is a new statement from Sully promising us that no stone is being left unturned – why can’t he just keep quiet until it is done?
I feel that at the least the board (not just Sully) should have met with Moyes and his team to thank them for the job that they had done and listen to their vision for the future – before interviewing anyone else. If they decided to move on then they could do so knowing that they had treated Moyes and his team “with dignity and honesty”
Anyway that is now gone – I believe that Rafa could do a good job but how does he weigh up the owners’ repsonse when he got the Real Madrid job against the two and a half years of love shown to him by the Geordie fans?
Sully promised us a manager with both PL experience and other experience – does that rule out Emery (leaving Pellegrini, Rafa and Ranieri)?