Guest Post by West Ham Way
As I’m sure most here will agree, the board’s, and in particular David Sullivan’s, effort to regain control in the transfer market have resulted in some interesting recent additions to the squad. These efforts are now taking the club in a much more positive direction, which is obviously a hugely welcome change from the divisive negativity the club has seen over the last twelve months or so.
Whilst much of the focus of that negativity has been on Allardyce’s shortcomings and failures, the board have largely escaped such criticism. In my opinion, there should be much more scrutiny of their role in the adoption of a playing style acceptable to the club’s long-suffering fans. What we should be demanding, however, is not that we play decent, attractive, entertaining football right now, but that the board has an effective strategy to ensure a smooth transition to this style in the near future.
Whilst the board has, so far, come into only a limited amount of criticism for failing to implement a style of football at West Ham that reflects the club’s proud traditions, we do need to recognise the fact that changes in this regard cannot and do not happen overnight. Based on the changes that have been made at the club in recent months, however, I believe that they have may well have heard the message that has been so vociferously transmitted by the club’s supporters, and are intent on doing what they can to make a smooth transition to the style of football that many supporters would like to see.
Obviously, there are huge doubts about Allardyce’s ability to adapt his managerial style to the possession-oriented, creative, attacking football that would be welcomed by many a West Ham fan. I for one freely admit to having called for his replacement on several occasions. However, in the context of a safe transition by the club to a much more progressive style, and the huge costs of compensating Allardyce and his backroom staff when there’s only another nine months on his contract, I can now see the logic in continuing with his services until the end of the season. He remains a relatively safe pair of hands and, despite his frustrating tactical inflexibility, he should at least be able to keep away significant grumblings of discontent with the quality of the players that have been added to the squad in the last transfer window.
Whatever happens this season, I would imagine the season’s end will likely also represent the end of Allardyce’s reign at the club, and would hope and expect that the club will then seek to employ a progressive manager with much more expansive style of play. If premiership status is secured at a reasonably early stage, and the chairmen go on to appoint a new manager in the creative mould, such a strategy of transition should be recognised as extremely good governance by the board. If not, then they are the ones that should be held accountable for the failure to find such a strategy. Sullivan’s desire to take more control of the club’s transfer dealings mean he has also assumed responsibility for the club’s future direction, succeed or fail, and the supporters should recognise this accordingly.
The quality of the players now at the club should be enough to convince a progressive manager of the necessary quality that he would have enough talent at his disposal to succeed with the development and implementation of the required style of football here. Another transfer window of added defensive reinforcements should then ensure that the club is well placed to establish itself in the top half of the table, whilst adapting to a playing style that would see some much-needed excitement return to the club.
If this is the case, the board should rightly be applauded for their transitional strategy, and, if a truly inspirational manager can be found to unite the club around a style of play, we can all look forward to a bright future of creative football to take us into the Olympic Stadium.
It remains to be seen whether the signs of such a strategy are truth or illusion, but I fully hope and expect that some truly exciting times will return to the club once again, hopefully in the not-too-distant future.