I have a confession to make. Don’t judge me. Ok you’ll definitely judge me.
I haven’t watched any international football. Not a goal, not a throw in, not even a single kick. Tell a lie…I saw Rooney’s 50th goal (well done Wayne!) go in via a tiny, grainy video shot from the stands at Wembley on someone’s Facebook page. “Call yourself a football fan?!” Yeah some might say that. I know. I get it. I just fell out of love with the internationals somewhere in South America. Possibly before. That’s not to say it won’t return. It usually does. Nine times out of ten I get whisked away with the hype and the pre-tournament hope of the mad fan/media frenzy but I must admit, last time out I felt a bit resigned even before Pitbull and JLo started singing that dreadful World Cup song. I was as deflated as one of Tom Brady’s balls. After that debacle in Brazil not even Roy’s 100% record in the European qualifiers this time round could rouse me from my indifference. I’ve always, always, always loved our national team…but this time I just couldn’t fake it. I’ve been led up the garden path way too many times. How many years of hurt is it now?
So I’ll be more than happy when the domestic action returns to our pitches and screens this weekend. Natch. It’s oh so quiet without it.
What a season we’ve had already. Even by West Ham’s erratic standards it’s been a doozy. Ever heard of the Land of Topsy Turvy? (SJ Chandos I wrote this before I saw your post and it’s half past ten at night I’m not changing it now ha!!) Where everything is downside up and outside in? I feel like that’s where we are right now! Who would have predicted a scintillating win at the Emirates and a precious, but quite anomalous, victory at Anfield, interwoven with a couple of abject performances at Upton Park against, no disrespect, inferior opposition of the likes of Leicester and Bournemouth? What’s going on at the Boleyn then? Perhaps you can tell me because I don’t get there as much these days. I know the atmosphere is far less fierce and foreboding for visiting teams than it once was. The fire and the fury seems to be reserved for our own a lot of the time. I was listening down the line from the gantry at the Valley when Soccer Saturday’s Sir Jeffrey of Stelling disdainfully revealed the Hammers fans were booing after twenty odd minutes. That really disappointed me. It seems like we’re so quick to turn nowadays. Ok we were two nil down at the time but it’s still too early to go rogue. This isn’t The Sons of Anarchy! We’re not supposed to shoot each other. Not unless our backs are really against the wall anyway.
I remember interviewing Big Sam last season about our unfavourable home form and it was extremely unpleasant to learn how difficult it was for some players to perform comfortably and confidently at Upton Park. He spoke to me about how hesitant and reticent they would be at times, how uncomfortable on the ball, how nervous of making a mistake and being the one responsible for turning the tide and rousing the rabble. He didn’t name names but I had an idea of who he might be referring to. He also accepted that the responsibility of developing their strength mentally and tactically was ultimately down to him. He wasn’t shirking, but it was revealing. It made me think deeper about how important fans actually are. They can often make you or break you. I don’t have anyone screaming at me how useless I am when I’m trying to work (not offline anyway!) so I don’t know how it feels but I’m sure it isn’t the best environment to be in. I’m not having that ‘we pay their wages we can say what we like/they earn fortunes they should be able to take it’ argument either. There is a human element here.
It’s not the fans’ fault if things go wrong on the pitch either. Of course it’s not. If they feel the players aren’t pulling their weight then they’re entitled to voice their displeasure in some way. But this is supposed to be a collective. We’re all in this together aren’t we? Booing is not the answer. I’ve said this before but it gets nasty too quickly and that’s not how Upton Park used to be. It doesn’t make the players play any better. That’s why Bilic earns the big bucks. It’s down to him to ring the changes and solve the problems and, largely, he has done that to good effect in both those home matches. Even in defeat there was never a capitulation or a return to the long ball boredom that had us so enraptured last term. We haven’t sat back on leads away from home either. Ok so we’ve parked the bus here and there but the handbrake was off wasn’t it?! Or was it on? I can’t remember but the signs are good. Plus we have a few different names on the team sheet this season who may be more able to withstand public and vocal pressure. We’ll see. I don’t know if that particular monkey is still hanging off of their backs but after the two home disasters we’ve had so far, Monday night will be an interesting spectacle. Let’s hope it’s not the Hammers’ house of horror!
Does this mean if we lose then there’s a problem at the Boleyn? I suppose it depends on the nature of the performance, the effort, the end product. I have to say I’m far more confident than I’ve been in recent years. Not because it’s a misfiring Newcastle we face either. After West Ham’s extravagant spending spree over the summer and in the transfer window we look very well equipped. I’d say the the chairmen are extremely happy shoppers. We have a quality squad there, with all sorts of attributes and strengths at our disposal. More on that another time.
If Slav can get his players, both old and new, to realise their potential and play with the freedom, poise and self-assurance we want to see, we really could have an exciting team on our hands. The fans also have a vital part to play! Maybe Hammers’ years of hurt could be over…for a while at least!!
Come On You Irons!!
B x