No footballer is EVER bigger than their club, despite claims to the contrary made by certain players of Portuguese descent!
Players like those mentioned above go on believing in their own myth, even when their star has waned, whereas there are others who KNOW humility and are humble in the face of overwhelming adoration amidst the company of sycophants.
The long drawn out protracted transfer of club captain Declan Rice from West Ham to local rivals Arsenal having been recently completed will have left many fans with empty and possibly envious feelings. Such emotions, whilst being perfectly understandable are just a part of our modern day values.
There ARE those who will say "Declan should have stayed, he was one of our own and we offered him a king's ransom to stay", whereas others might say "He wasn't one of our own, he was one of Chelsea's own!"
Can you imagine how Chelsea fans felt when they saw Rice striding out as West Ham captain, ball cupped just like a certain 'Sir' Bobby Moore?" Loyalty is pure, not tainted by the lure of things that might be gained" once wrote a famous English writer, but those words were written before the Internet, mobile phones or social media during an era when football players received a pittance for their travails.
Modern day footballers playing in Elite Leagues receive what are quite frankly obscenely high wages, a total juxtaposition of those wages earned right up to the onset of the Premier League.
So fans who expected more 'loyalty' from Declan Rice were being rather naive, what they were entitled to expect was a player who gave absolutely everything while wearing the club's colours and that is EXACTLY what Rice did!
Now is the time to move on and say "Thanks for the memories and we look forward to ruining your new club's title aspirations, just as we did last season! Hammers fans CAN however look forward to some exciting and interesting new signings that the Massive money received for Decal Rice will help finance.
The King is dead, Long live the King! - Ed
Comments
Excellent article
Spoilt only with the penultimate sentence, presumably written tongue in cheek.
Totally agree
Deluded same page mate
Brilliant Nev
Did Rice really do that? Bobby Moore stylee jeez that's embarrassing.....
Looking forward to not having Rice
Dont even order it in the local Indian no more, Felt the same about Payet all we heard he was Leaving, How he had left -thank god we dont have to hear Payets name either we still stayed up time to turn that page. Lets look forward to beating Arsenal on Boxing Day and not giving Rice any respect and knocking him up in the air. the same as we will if Lingaurd shows his face at our ground, they aint West Ham anymore - So they must be The opponent- turn the page, dust yourself down and onwards and upwards COYI
They were never
Proper Westham,none of them...contradictions I couldn't give a monkeys
Unfortunately he's started
Already,apparently he's never played under a manager like mike arteta!!
The Great Pretender....
Brass in pocket springs to mind!
I reckon Nobes should mark him when we first play them,24!! Someones put a lot of pressure on the boys shoulders
I say thank you to Declan
I say thank you to Declan Rice. He never once sulked. He gave 100% despite knowing he was going & helped deliver us silverware. Upon his return he should be given a warm reception until the whistle is blown then let the hostilities begin.
Will he be able to live with the burden of being a £100m plus player? How will he be judged. Do Arsenal need to win the league? Frankly. Who cares. He has gone. No longer our concern. Let's just hope his replacements are as commited and as passionate as Declan Rice was.
Sorry mate
But that is fecking hilarious;)
Just had a weird dream ,was
Just had a weird dream ,was zoumas cat called declan
i think
it was Bibs if not that would be a purrrrfect name
Saint Maximm
Now there's a player! Could be available
Half way through july ..still
Half way through july ..still no players signed. We've had 3 months to line up a replacement for voldamort..his name shouldn't be mentioned again..moyes will leave it till the last minute then moan they haven't had time to settle in ..any takers
I seriously though
For once, JUST ONCE. that signings would have been lined up first day of the transfer windows, done, dusted and out for pre season training.
Who's
Voldemort?
Jonjo Shelvey
Harry Potter.... he's coming for you!!! Classic West Ham at anfield when he was warming up on the touchline! ;o)
Lol
Remember that one Dartford! TBF to golum he took it well! But isn't he a Romford boy
he took it VERY well, had a
he took it VERY well, had a real smirk on his face!! :o)
Yes he is mate,and a hammer.
Yes he is mate,and a hammer.
Scamacca playing well in pre
Scamacca playing well in pre season . Lets loan him out for a pittance...you couldn't make this up ..only moyse and west ham
Blimey
Looks like Cress joining Balon d'aws at Wolves,Ants off to the chumps in Saudi ( so many top names going it could be the prem 2!!) The little gem released,probably Saudi bound too...remind me who have we signed
We just tell other teams who
We just tell other teams who to sign..when the window closes it will be. we tried but failed ..and end up signing a sick note ,nobody elsecwould touch..wheelchair, andy carrol..ings ..
Typical
.COYI
It's good to see our new
It's good to see our new signings are settling in well. Especially the time Moyes needs to bed them in to his style of play. Lessons have been learned and a woeful Premier League campaign due to a slow start will be avoided this time around.
What signings
What signings?the old lot or new?
Seem I must have offended you
Seem I must have offended you 65?
What you sir
No sir,how very dare you....why would you think that Brother??
It's a puppet...
Enfield!have a great weekend mate
Think
We've run out of players to even say we're linked with. 21 days to the start of the season, two friendlies left, no sign of Cornet, known for a year that Rice is going, two other players already gone and two more possibly leaving. Shambles
.
.
Im not goin through another
Im not goin through another year like last year ,there doesnt seem to be any interest anymore , chug along with Dino and if we go down well so be it ,can anyone else see pacman packing his bags.