I make no apologies for admitting my admiration for Manuel Pellegrini is boundless and was whilst he managed Manchester City.
That he became West Ham’s manager was as astonishing as it was pleasing and he has already demonstrated over just half a season that he is well up to the challenges and worries that seem to be an inevitable part of the West Ham experience – season in, season out.
The two major issues are of course injuries and difficult individuals – a bane of life at this club where we have eight on the treatment table STILL and Mr Arnautovic seeking OUT.
Players on the sidelines with injury is one thing but when a team spirit is endangered by an individual player who has apparently been going around apologising when he should be training his guts out, it’s very easy indeed to get the hump – Pellegrini doesn’t.
We’ve seen the same problem with the likes of Dimi Payet and Ravel Morrison where in each case the problems were allowed to drag on without any decisive action being taken.
That’s not the Pellegrini way either !
Having refused to moan and groan about injuries – or some to that officials’ decisions – he took immediate action to demonstrate that he would not be taken for any sort of ride by the Austrian who is now out of the picture until he gets his head right or clears off altogether.
That the manager has coped so admirably with the usual and too regular problems experienced by the Hammers within just 22 games whilst taking us to ninth place in the league is a pretty stunning achievement.
Not only that but he has acted decisively without shouting the odds and drawing attention to HIMSELF!
At the same time as this has all been going on he has blended all the new signings into the squad and been involved in the renewal of Declan Rice and Grady Diangana’s contracts whilst producing a brand of football, the like of which has been unseen at our club for years.
All of this over half a season begs the obvious question. Where can we be in another two and a half as he also brings the most talented youngsters through from the academy?
For me, he’s the real hero of West Ham United and we can all look forward with real hope for a change.
So many have said he was our best summer signing.
Spot on
Agree completely Hugh, MP is the key to continued success, I wasn’t around for the Greenwood days but would suggest the style we are evolving is better than anything under Lyall also if we want to break into the top 4 – 6 which I think is possible if the chairmen keep investing and the youth team keeps producing COYI !!!
If you praise MP then you have to praise the board. Not unilaterally of course, everyone has their failings and some more than others, but credit where credit is due.
I agree with master and with Hugh. As in any organisation, its ability to recognise challenges, evolve its thinking and affect long term success depends on the top level executives and management, and their ability to seek out the right kind of workers to help build it all. The worker bees (players) will come and go, but the ethos of the organisation has to remain, and I think the board has recognised that in Pelle, Husillos and Westley, we have an amazing amount of talent that will help it, and us the fans, realise our ultimate vision. COYI.
I think it is implicit that the board are to be applauded but on this occasion I was looking at the manager’s virtues
Nothing is implicit in football, sadly, which is why it’s important to make the point clear. Sorry if we’ve inadvertently hijacked your post, Hugh – we just wanted to expand the scope of the conversation…
hijacked? Think you may be over stating your input or would sooner not give credit to the manager by looking at his abilities
Given the board appointed the manager I still believe it to be a given. Board appoint manager, manager does well, board tae credit but this article was about how he manages not who appointed him