You would need to be rather lacking in perception not to understand the way things are going at Upton Park right now.
A season so rich with promise at one point has turned sour and as always the full media attention is turning onto the manager and his future.
The Mail and TalkSport’s Adrian Durham is the latest from the media mob to put the boot in.
Nothing is ever written in the tablets of stones required by many fans but the smoke signals coming out of the Boleyn seem pretty clear.
Sam Allardyce is facing the dodgiest moment of his Hammers reign – change it seems to me is now the name of the game.
My personal reading of the situation is that the only issue remaining is whether the club can find a manager they consider an upgrade on the current boss.
If they are successful in doing so, I believe Sam Allardyce’s time in charge will come to an end this summer.
There’s a massive atmosphere of disappointment across the club right now and although 13 weeks is an eternity in football it’s hard to see too much changing in the time left.
There’s much muttering and murmuring going on, the like of which many haven’t heard previously.
This is NOT a “For or against Sam article” however much some will want to pretend it is. It’s simply that the signs right now seem clear!
Change is on the agenda with the one important proviso that precisely the right person is found to lead the Irons into their last Boleyn season and a new era beyond.
Let’s put it another way: No ClaretandHugh Poll is required!
Hugh, you say that this is article is not for or against Sam but the fact that it’s based on no factual evidence whatsoever, merely unsubstaniated rumours/”smoke signals” supporting the anti-Allardyce agenda, makes it clear which side your bread is buttered. I’m personally of the view that sitting 8th in the league, on 38 points, with 13 games to go, is a very positive position to be in. We may have had a slight downturn in form but we are almost certainly safe and there is a reasonable chance that we may achieve Europa League football this season. Perhaps some fans just have unreasonable expectations of where they expect us to be?!
I think you may need to read between the lines
I think you may need not to condescend me.
Let me tell you something about Sam Allardyce.
In the FA cup replay match against Everton a few weeks ago, we found ourselves with an extra man because Everton were down to 10 players. We were useless, it looked more like we were the team with a man down. Anyway, so this bloke, around 60, goes running down to behind where Sam was standing and yells “SAM WHO”S THE TEAM WITH A MAN DOWN HERE?? WHY ARE THEY ALL OVER US?” to which, Sam turned his head and shouted “OHH DO F**K OFF!”
I’m sorry, but if this is the attitude of the manager towards a regular season ticket fan, who wasn’t being abusive in any way, then its disgraceful. He’s got to go my kids heard that and it’s not the way a manager should be behaving.
Not condescending – I’m writing about what I’m, hearing from what most people have come to appreciate are reliable people . No point in writing on the basis of anything else
Sounds about right Bob.I said the other day on a post this guy is at the sharp end of representing our club,both on the pitch but off it as well.His comments about tippy tappy football is b*llocks to the media when cameras where there was classless.His constant disdain towards fans shows what an arrogant man he is also.Whether we finish 7th or 10th means nothing to me.I just want this man gone from our club,not because of where we finish but because he really is an embarrassment,an arrogant,egotistical guy who we have the misfortune of being our manager.
It’s no wonder the fans turn to the only language that some people understand they say you reap what you sow and I am sorry our young fans have to here that language from a payed employee,
HUGH you do not have to tell anyone which side your personal bread is buttered because if people read this site daily they already know that.
jtwok you haven’t seen or heard from conkerpot have you ?
Bubs, I don’t know who that is. I don’t personally care what side Hugh’s bread is buttered, I was just pointing out the fact that he tried to make his article sound impartial (“This is NOT a “For or against Sam article”) when it clearly wasn’t.
If I’d heard he was staying I’d say so. For goodness sake guys you are failing to understand what i’m trying to do here. And I don’t see myself poking your eyes out cos you like Sam. Come on
Ffs,Hugh has just written an article saying that there are mummerings & some grumblings at the club atm.He is reporting what he has heard Jtwok.End of story.
jtwok I can’t believe you don’t know conkerpot he is BFS ( sorry conkerpot ) cheer leader and as you think BFS is doing a good job you would have met him at the club,
Sorry you do not know him I will keep searching,I personally don’t think the Mafia have got him,
If you came over and shouted at me while I was trying to do my job I’d tell you to F off as well. No doubt you would do the same if someone came barrelling over to you shouting your mouth off. I’m sure the gentleman in questIon was polite as anything. Really! You do read some things that make you laugh….
Actually, if my job was being in the public eye, like Sam’s is, no I wouldn’t use language like that. Especially in front of young children. It doesn’t reflect the club in good light. Rooney suffered a ban because he ran up to a camera and shouted ‘F**K OFF!’
I spent some serious time explaining to my kids and my young nephew that acting that way, when you score goals isn’t acceptable. Kids copy stuff like that.
I suppose some of us have different standards.
If someone came up to me in my job and started shouting and I told them to ‘F**K OFF!’ I would probably get trawled through HR and given a warning.
And obviously these people with standards seem very capable of giving it out but not so accepting when it comes straight back at them
At the end of the day whether Hugh is impartial or not doesnt matter.He is allowed an opinion whether it is pro or against BFS the same as we all do.Running this site doesnt mean he should have to sit on the fence just to not offend anyone on here with his views.If he deciedes not to nail his colours to a certain mast is his choice.Though anyone who comes on here regularly will know where he stands on Allardyce.
TysonM I know he is just reporting what he has heard. I don’t claim to be Sam’s biggest fan but I just disagreed that the whole picture was so negative given where we are in the league. If Hugh wants to promote the Allardyce-out agenda I really don’t care – it’s his site after all – but he stated that it wasn’t intended to be a for-or-against article which is clearly not the case. My point being, he shouldn’t contradict himself.
This is the only time I’ll say this:
As most know or should know this is a NEWS SITE. I take pride in getting more right on what’s going on than I do wrong. This is not a site for those wanting long, rambling features – there’s plenty of those elsewhere.
This story is effectively is a news item based on what I’ve heard from all over – there will be more to come on it.
No I’m not a Sam man. Never have been but if anyone believes I would allow that to cloud my news judgement they are 100 pc wrong. First and foremost I’m a reporter but I think as Rads says I am allowed an opinion so long as I keep it separate from news.
Interesting point… But can we forget the aim of the Davids – to be playing premiership football in the new stadium?
It’s definitely been a season of progression with only three really poor performances (Southampton & WBA twice) but with the uncertainty of Song, Reid and Jenkinson will the boat be rocked even more by changing the manager?
I see it one change too far when we’re finally seeing some stability, which we’ve been after for so long!
SAMs problem is that he has no love for the club or fans
Whilst I do not condone some of the abuse he gets
He incites the supporters fury with his after match statements
He rarely acknowledges the fans and I find him arrogant,done ok but time for us to part at the end of season.
I love the photos posted about our sophisticated manager: they perfectly show his perspicacity, his intelligence, his ability to interpret the match. In this one probably he’s thinking “I have to go to the bathroom”… what a genius. Talking about football, I really hope the smoke signals will become a fire.
Just heard Kouyate is injured, that means Nolan will be nailed on to the midfield diamond for the forseeable future as, according to SAM, he will have no option.
What a diabolical piece of luck.
Hope we sign NENE, but will he take Nolans’ place, I bloody well hope so or we won’t do much for the rest of the season playing with ten men ( Nolan a waste of space ) so will be like playing with 10.
COYI
As a former PSG season ticket holder (28 years) I’ve seen Nene paly and think highly of his performance. My only concern would be his age. If he does come I guess there will also be a new lingua franca at the club (pun intended).