Guest Post by Paul Hickin
The term “loyalty” is thrown about as an intrinsic good. Some fans could have the L word tattooed onto their forehead such is its importance. And if us fans don’t think someone possesses – Defoe, Ince, Payet or whoever – rightly or wrongly, they are often cast out in a medieval-like boo-hiss. It seems so relevant to West Ham right now. Not only because of the aforementioned players and whether Mark Noble can criticize ‘us fans’ , but because of the other side of the coin.
What about our loyalty? Should we show loyalty to Slav after the team’s recent slide? Should we show it to Mark given his poor season? Or does the team come first always? The practical side would debate whether Slav is good enough, pure and simple. Or Mark. But this isn’t about whether we trust Slav/Mark but whether we should be loyal to them and to what extent? Should our loyalty to these mean they get a little more leeway?
Remember the days when managers actually went down with the clubs only to get them promoted the following season again? Now there is so much money in the premier league that owners can ill afford the luxury of loyalty. But what about you? Surely we can’t have it both ways: players/managers need to have loyalty but a wobbly season and out you go!
Now for some of us, football is a job and players should maximize their careers. Why should they show loyalty at all? Maybe only respect is needed and moving on in the right way. As arguably Slav did when he left us. Or Tomkins did when he wanted regular football at centre back. Or if the club decides to cash in on a player (for the greater good hopefully). But for those fans who demand loyalty, how much do you expect to provide in return?
Surely being “loyal” to West Ham doesn’t count as that is all part of having skin in the game. If you decided to switch clubs rather than be loyal to the Hammers, then your footballing enjoyment would be superficial and futile, albeit rather successful. But success is so transient and those fans seeking that in its pure form are surely missing the point and that will only lead to misery. The only way your loyalty is measurable is how much you give to those in the club that deserve it, no? Or does our loyalty to the (symbolic idea of the) club trump our loyalty to certain individuals?
On the flipside, Slav could be suffering from his loyalty to Payet (building his team around him etc), to Noble, to Cresswell, et al this season. In the same way Ranieri suffered at Leicester and was not afforded the same such loyalty by the owners who pressed the panic button and which seems to have worked out well at least for this season. Do the Leicester fans feel dirty but happy that the Tinkerman is gone or just relieved that results have turned.
As the voices grow louder among a section of the fans for Slav to go, what is the price, cost and value of loyalty? For me, loyalty goes both ways and Slav deserves the chance to build his team despite mistakes he has made, not only because a huge of host of challenges he has had to face this season which weren’t his doing, but because loyalty to those who are part of the West Ham family is “the West Ham way”.