Future Real Madrid manager Big Sam
The Albion welcome Championship royalty on Monday as West Ham United, currently on loan from the Premier League, visit the Amex.
It is arguably as easy to dislike West Ham this year as it has been in the past to dislike Leeds United with their arrogance and “too good for this league” attitude.
Firstly they have big Sam Allardyce in the dugout one of the most unlikable managers around. His hoof ball style will have won him few fans outside of Bolton and Blackburn and he even had the arrogance to suggest his management style is more suited to a big club.
“I would be more suited to Inter Milan or Real Madrid,” the former Bolton and Newcastle manager said back in 2010, while still in charge at Blackburn. “It wouldn’t be a problem for me to manage those clubs because I would win the double or the league every time.
“Give me Manchester United or Chelsea and I would do the same, it wouldn’t be a problem. It’s not a problem to take me into the higher reaches of the Champions League or Premier League and would make my job a lot easier in winning it.”
Well let’s see how England’s finest manager does this year with a squad full of Premiership players and a massive wage budget in the relative ease of the Championship. The potential signing of El-Hadji Diouf is also going down like a lead balloon with the Hammers fans and would add massively to the unlikeable tag.
Another reason to dislike the Londoners comes in the board room with the loveable pair David Sullivan and David Gold run the club. With ticket prices ranging from £32-£47 (yes that’s right £47 to watch Championship football) with away fans expected to pay just £32. Well Kevin Noland’s reported £55,000 a week salary isn’t going to pay itself is it?
The whole Olympic Stadium saga is another source of annoyance for the general footballing public and seemingly a large majority of West Ham supporters. Brighton fans know only too well that playing football in an athletic stadium is a depressing experience.
Olympic Stadium
It’s not as if Upton Park is a problem anyway surely? Room for expansion on one side and one of the few all- seater stadiums with a decent atmosphere. Why move?
Ok they want to generate more money but there are no guarantees the West Ham fans will come in their droves if the stadium is soulless and the football isn’t great (see above under Sam Allardyce…)
Leyton Orient are rightly outraged by the proposed move which would see West Ham rocking up less than a mile from Brisbane Road home. It would surely putting their very existence in doubt with floating fans wooed away by the bright lights of West Ham who will expect to be a Premier League side once more when they move in.
I fully expect a tough game on Monday but would love it…. JUST LOVE IT if Gus’s beautiful game overcomes big Sam’s long ball game of chance.
