The next level?
Three words which almost define being a West Ham supporter but before opening a discussion on them it’s the words themselves that need definition.
Sean recalled a podcast he conducted with David Gold from 18 months ago in presenting his own view this morning that such hopes of top four or even top six are a pipe dream.
Yes, that would be the case if we agree with David G’s analysis but personally I don’t, never have and never will because for me that doesn’t represent the next level.
As a Hammer from way back I have become used to what we have been in the past – a yo yo club that has spent far too much of it’s time sliding between the top two division.
Relegation fears have continued even until the past two or three seasons and whilst Manuel Pellegrini’s arrival gave great hope the idea that we would suddenly vault into the big time is simply not on.
Down the years, like so many of us, I have lived with the constant fear of relegation which is a debilitating experience and if we can bring those awful years to an end that’s the next level for me.
Of course I want to win the title, of course I want to compete in the Champions League, and like us all I want only the best for this great old club.
But when discussing these matters maybe a little realism is required and the end of relegation fears is for me the next big step for the Irons.
I think a cup run and then a european cup run (europa league) would be enough for me. I don’t want our club to sell it’s soul to some tycoon and expect wins every game, you lose your passion. It is a much better feeling to be a giant killer anyway. As a younger fan my only memories of west ham in europe is astra giurgiu and Palermo, not much to go on, very envious of older fans and tales of victorious cup winners cup away days.
Spot On! .. My realistic wish after the stadium move was that we ought to be able to buy enough quality to avoid relegation struggles, or at least escape if we got in trouble .. Last year Arnautovic was one of the main reasons we got out of trouble and maybe we wouldn’t have got Arnoutovic without the new stadium? ..
I agree with just about every word of that. The PL now seems to have a fairly settled Top Six & we are way off joining them. It used to be that the ‘chasing pack’ were closely bunched, with quite a bit of movement between them from season to season. It now looks to me as if another mini league is developing- featuring Wolves, Leicester & probably Watford. They seem to be pretty well run clubs with (the big factor) MONEY! Perhaps Everton would be in this group-just. The rest, including us, will cover sides who in a good season may start dreaming about Europe League, but in a bad season might go down. In most seasons they will spend a bit of time wondering about both. I am not sure if, with the present owners, we can move ourselves into a side which can start the season confident of being at the top of this group. They have been in charge now for nearly a decade & I think if we were going to reach even that level, which I know a lot of Hammers will see as much too unambitious, it would have happened by now.
Wolves beat Utd again and Watford won so our loss is magnified, should we call next level playing every match with a fixed level of intensity, certainly this season as in many past too many of our squad have as Zaba said mental weakness against non top six teams.
I agree that it is very difficult to break into the top 6 – when we finished 7th under Slav it was a weird season with the Chelsea Mourinho self destruction and Leicester winning the league
I agree that not having any relegation fears would be a relief – although look at Everton last season as well as Southampton who had done well for a few seasons
What I would also like is a few comfortable victories – like the two over Newcastle – and perhaps not having teams like Wolves and Bournemouth doing teh double over us
Yes and reaching at least a semi final in a cup would be good