Jiggs Sat 21 Feb 2015, 8:51 pm
After getting us back into the premiership, he's always done what the chairmen wanted - kept us there.
Even when the results were beyond crap, when he changed the system or style of play for no apparent reason. While he still insisted on featuring Nolan and fielding players in positions alien to them. Why exactly? Because the Chairmen made public what Allerdyce's role was, he could still claim to be doing what they'd asked.
Citing the 2014-15 campaign as being "crucial to our future" The chairmen said "Although not everybody understands the West Ham Way, we do and we respect it as we have been supporters all our lives" But their view of taking the club forward was not just keeping it in the premier league. It would also involve building a squad that could outperform the so called bigger clubs on a more regular basis and bringing through the youth from the Academy. I mean, why would we want to be a selling, yoyo club, fighting relegation and promotion every other year in another stadium? A case of same shit different venue!
So the board backed Allerdyce at the end of last season and invested considerable funds to buy new players, which incidentally would see the board have a greater involvement in the players who were signed. They also allegedly, demanded more entertainment on the pitch. In return Allerdyce agreed to recruit a new attacking coach, improve developing our youth and play pretty football, the West Ham way.
The first four games, 1 win, 1 draw and 2 losses, saw Valencia, Sakho, Amalfitano or Zarate start on the bench, except for when Zarate scored a goal in our win. Our best run so far this season were victories against Liverpool and Manchester city at home the latter being preceded by wins to QPR and Burnley before a loss to Mancscum. Nolan missed the Liverpool game but appeared as sub for the next four, where BFS was forced to play all of our new signings. I can't be arsed to scrutinise the other 16 games, suffice to say that there have been 5 wins, 7 draws and 4 losses, with all but 2 draws seeing Nolan start. Make of that what you will, but consider that when he starts one of our new signings doesn't.........well apart from Zarate who's been loaned to QPR! There also appears to be a discrepancy between Gold and Allerdyce at the moment. With Gold tweeting that Nene will be available for our game at White shite lane whilst Allerdyce claims that he is not match fit.
Not too clued up on the Academy, so this may be unfair. Can anyone throw any light? I only know that Blair Turgott and Matthias Fanimo played in the FA Cup third round at Nottingham Forest in January 2014. It was Turgott's debut and Fanimo's 2nd appearance for the first team. BFS threw another 9 youngsters in with them and they lost 5-0. That would do bucket loads to help them, yes? Nope, West Ham let them both go earlier this month.
So, has he kept to his side of the bargain? I think not. It's why I reckon The Double 'D's have someone else in line. Apart from Allerdyce just not being up to "part 2", can anyone else really see the chairmen invest so much time and money into a project to not have a proven replacement in place?