Forum | General Discussion

Excuse the Star Wars vernacular, but far far away, back in the day, Smoke and mirrors were the preferred method of communication used by the club to 'muddy the water' as Hammers fans sought clarity regarding the future of their beloved club. For a brief while that antiquated and unworkable approach was abandoned during what many now see as a halcyon period in time when the owners finally stopped living their business lives on media platforms and let the club progress with the minimum amount of negativity and fuss. Unfortunately the 'Dark Star' has returned!

Admitedly this 'golden' age (excuse pun) didn't last long and it's mere existence was reliant on the club doing well, which it was. The West Ham climb from perennial strugglers to genuine top six contenders really DID look like it had happened and that the future was one of onwards and upwards, unfortunately as with many romance stories or fairy tales this one has come to a bitter end.

The general feeling of optimism was based on a truly brilliant 18 month spell which of course included the Covid lock down, a period of time when there were no crowds present and perhaps that is the key. No one was in attendance of games meant that certain team selections and formations could be tried out WITHOUT welts of negativity from fans and that proved to be the case.

Without the crowd on his back David Moyes was able to restructure the club in his own preferred format and IT WORKED, there is no way of getting around it. The problem is that there were already signs of the ship 'creaking' once the Premier League resumed 'properly', those problems were masked by the Europa League successes which also hid the fact that the squad was the 2nd oldest in the League and that the club's style of play had been one dimensional and that other clubs had 'sussed' the Irons out and worked out ways of nullifying the counter attacking style that had worked so well.

Adapting to the situation is a basic requirement for any managerial role, in football it is ESSENTIAL and David Moyes has stubbornly refused to alter HIS WAY! A way that has been totally exposed leaving his managerial attitude as that of a dinosaur heading for extinction, relegation to the Championship would not make West Ham extinct, but it would put the club back years and years, you only have to look at how long it took clubs like Leeds and Forest, who had previously enjoyed great success, to get back to the 'promised land' of the top flight.

Of course if the club suddenly goes on an inspired run, sparked by good performances in the 'Con Cup' then we we be perfectly prepared to eat large helpings of 'Umble Pie', after all we were one of the very first Hammers websites and have supported the club through thick and thin, our ONLY agenda is for the club to succeed, period!

Whatever way you look at the situation, whether data driven or just from the general 'vibe' Moyes's time at the as yet unnamed London Stadium has run it's course, even if the club somehow escape relegation, which it might do but only by the 'skin of it's teeth', Moyes is the past and definitely NOT the future. He took a struggling club, rebuilt it, but then forgot to open his eyes and just shut up shop. Moyes seems incapable of 'dealing' with top players, preferring instead to 'mould them into players of his OWN volition as if to prove he got the busy dibs from 'picking the pie'. But just as Sam Allardyce's cutting edge medical techniques broke new ground and worked for a while at Bolton, both managers refused to move with the times and are in danger of ruining their legacy.

Hammers are NOT in the business of providing managerial redevelopment programmes, or they shouldn't be... ley Moyes go off to a managerial rehabilitation centre and get some one fresh in, most DEFINTELY NOT Jose Mourinho, almost anyone but him and even the sour puss one himself wouldn't turn down Roma for West Ham, he is rich beyond dreams of avarice, why swap the sun for .... the Sun's headlines or the Mirror's? - Ed

Current West Ham supremo David Sullivan used to have a penchant for wearing his now politically incorrect Russian hat which is called a Ushanka, which rhymes with what many fans used to call him from the metaphorical terraces that adorn the as yet commercially unnamed Queen Elizabeth Stadium.

Apart from the obvious 'When will you sack David Moyes?" questions being asked of him, the majority shareholder is having to field off an increasing amount of questions regarding his ownership of the club and WHETHER HE PLANS TO SELL or if indeed he might be forced to sell because of a potentially 'aggressive' take over of the club.

Since the passing of David Gold speculation has been rife regarding his 25% ownership of the club and what will happen to his shares. Initially it was thought that Gold's family would want to continue with the status quo by retaining their shares and maybe just selling off a few to cash in on their value, however it seems that the 'cretin in the sky', as some call Daniel Kretinsky behind his back, might go behind David Sullivan's back and offer top dollar to the Gold family and become the club's majority shareholder.

The majority shareholder of any Limited Company can, if they wish, add to the value of the company by injecting cash and bonds which the other shareholders have to match or see their shareholding become reduced in a process that used to be known as 'bear hugging'. Of course when men in suits ran the stock exchange and other strictly private financial organisations these things went virtually unnoticed but not anymore!

Ironically it won't do Kretinsky's investment portfolio any harm if the club do end up getting relegated because he will be able to buy cheaper, conversely if the club survive he can launch his 'bear hug' knowing his investment will likely go up, a win win situation, it's what he does, in case fans forget, he is a Business man!

Despite all the bluff and bravado, David Moyes MUST KNOW that in Kretinsky's eyes at least, he is a dead manager walking. There are few options available to arrest the club's decline at such short notice, those managers that are available ALL want long contracts, but in reality at the end of the day money WILL talk.

How much will relegation cost the club? How much will it cost to payoff the three year managerial contract of a new face in place? Money talks, will Moyes walk? -Ed