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And so Christmas Day has come and gone as the festive season begins to fade-away as we approach what lies ahead in the new year. For many, Christmas 2002 has been a great time where people have got together and enjoyed each others' company in true tradition. But for others, things haven't quite been so `merry` this time around...
For the past few years we've seen this happen over-and-over-again in the Premiership. Whichever team sitting at the bottom of the Premier League on Christmas Day (the 25th December for any of you still too-drunk to remember!) has remained in that same position untill May, when their relegation to Division 1 and the Football League is confirmed. And so with West Ham sitting there today, it is to be believed that they won't be in England's top-flight come this time next-year.
Whether you believe in this "superstition" or not is irrelevant. All you have to do to see West Ham are destined to drop is to look at their recent form in the league alone, and then see how it compares to the below-par performances they've been putting in all-season. They may have some fantastic individual players like Paulo DiCanio, Joe Cole, and Jermaine Defoe, but for one reason or another things haven't gone their way this season, and it seems like a bad-slump they may not be able to dig themselves out of in-time. Even if they did hold-off Man United at home a few weeks ago, time is running-out fast for Glenn Roeder and his under-performing side of merry-less men!
So next-season, I EXPECT to see West Ham United playing First Division Football week-in, week-out, against the likes of Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday, and all those other First Division teams who have previously seen drop-from-the-top after experiencing the high's of the Premiership, but failing to cope with the low's.
But what can we expect to see happen to West Ham as a football team, and proffesional club, once their reputation has finally dropped even further?
Well, like with all players who have been in England's top-flight, things won't feel the same in the Nationwide League. They'll feel out-of-place; like they shouldn't be here, but somewhere-else where their talents deserved to be shown-off.
Paulo DiCanio, as well all-know, is a player who deserves to be in the Premiership and nowhere-else, and he showed-us that a few seasons ago with that superb scissor-kick-volley that soon became `Goal of the Season` - no further questions asked! Man United have shown interest in this ageing `entertainer` from Italy in the past, and you can really see why when you see him play against some of the biggest teams around.
Trevor Sinclair is another player I feel could be on his way out. He may have a lot of First Division experience from his days at QPR, but he's played in the Premiership now, and estabished himself on the left-wing for England - in the World Cup too.
Why would he still want to be stuck in the First Division after all that?
And of course, there's Czech Republic international Tomas Repka - a player who joined West Ham with thoughts of the Premiership on his mind.
If there's one thing West Ham have been recognised for over the last few seasons then it's their youth academt setup that has produced the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Adam Newton, and even Man United's growing-startlet Kieran Richardson was once there, along with Rio's younger brother. And we're all expecting to see many more to come within the next few years.
But perhaps the 2 most well-known faces to have risen from the West Ham youth ranks and into the big-time are Michael Carrick and Joe Cole. Both midfielders are still very-young, but thanks to some superb indiviual performances both Carrick and Cole have established themselves as first-team-regualrs for `The 'ammers`, with a number of big clubs having shown keen-interest in them in the past. And furthermore, Sven-Goran Eriksson has also given them both the recognition they've clearly deserved, even we haven't seen them envolved for quite some time now.
But they are still young, and still have a lot to learn, and a ver-long way to go before they reach the top. To them, First Division Football would be an all-new experience unlike the Premiership. And against these supposedly `weaker` teams they'd be able to show-off what they can really do, and have some fun reviving their reputations while regaining the confidence lost with Relegation.
To simply ditch the sinking-ship once it has shrunk would be cowardly and foolish to such young players with so-many miles to go. And it would all come back to haunt them eventually too.
David James may be `slightly` older than the current crop of West Ham youngsters, but after a few hiccups here-and-there throughout his career, he could also use a season `down-beow` to help `re-build` himself in the same way.
And anyway, what kind of Premiership club would want a 'keeper that couldn't prevent his side from going-down??
But West Ham United isn't just a team of footballers, there's also a lot that goes on off-the-pitch in the boardroom and amongst the non-playing staff.
Chairman Terrence Brown has quite recently been given a hard-time by the regulars of Upton Park for failing to provide his club's manager, and team, with the funds they clearly need to start rebuilding and adding to the squad, in order to beat the drop and stay in the Premiership for at-leasy one-more-year.
We've seen incomes of £15m+ for both Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard within the last 3 years, yet a very minute amount of that cash seems to have gone into the team. It also seems that ticket-prices at Upton Park have shot-up through-the-roof recently too with fans phoning-in to shows like Sky's `You're On SkySports` recently, venting their feelings after being asked to pay around £50 for a single adult ticket up in Row Z for the home game sell-out against Manchester United!
With a lot of money obviously coming-in, but very-little going-out again, it doesn't go to say very good things about what West Ham's current financial state must be like.
And by moving down to the lower leagues below the Premiership, with a lack of Live TV coverage and a lot-less money coming in, things are only going to get worse for West Ham and their troubled fans, and the only way to keep the club out-of the red-zone could be to sell some - if not all - of those big-name players who have stayed faithfull to the Premiership drop-outs.
And if they're not to sell, then other avenues will have to be explored.
Perhaps season and match-day ticket prices will rise even-further - and not just for the big-games either? Anothr invester could help, but who'd be interested in a club outside the Premiership with such a low-income and small value?
It seems that things are only going to get worse for West Ham United and their fans once the inevitable has happened. A lot worse. And with their current state, it doesn't seem like they'll be able to improve things too-easily, and who knows, West Ham may even fall into administration down-there, and then have some REAL problems on-hand - just like the likes of Bury and Barnsley have already experienced after the collapse of ITV Digital. West Ham could even become extinct by the end of 2004 if things start to get REALLY bad down there!!
Anything could happen....
The only clear way to save themselves from all this (for now) would be to avoid the drop this season, and build-on from it then. But Glenn Roeder's still very-new to this job, and he's no Harry Redknapp! Face it... They're down!
"Up the 'ammers!!" is something they won't be shouting much-longer..!
For the past few years we've seen this happen over-and-over-again in the Premiership. Whichever team sitting at the bottom of the Premier League on Christmas Day (the 25th December for any of you still too-drunk to remember!) has remained in that same position untill May, when their relegation to Division 1 and the Football League is confirmed. And so with West Ham sitting there today, it is to be believed that they won't be in England's top-flight come this time next-year.
Whether you believe in this "superstition" or not is irrelevant. All you have to do to see West Ham are destined to drop is to look at their recent form in the league alone, and then see how it compares to the below-par performances they've been putting in all-season. They may have some fantastic individual players like Paulo DiCanio, Joe Cole, and Jermaine Defoe, but for one reason or another things haven't gone their way this season, and it seems like a bad-slump they may not be able to dig themselves out of in-time. Even if they did hold-off Man United at home a few weeks ago, time is running-out fast for Glenn Roeder and his under-performing side of merry-less men!
So next-season, I EXPECT to see West Ham United playing First Division Football week-in, week-out, against the likes of Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday, and all those other First Division teams who have previously seen drop-from-the-top after experiencing the high's of the Premiership, but failing to cope with the low's.
But what can we expect to see happen to West Ham as a football team, and proffesional club, once their reputation has finally dropped even further?
Well, like with all players who have been in England's top-flight, things won't feel the same in the Nationwide League. They'll feel out-of-place; like they shouldn't be here, but somewhere-else where their talents deserved to be shown-off.
Paulo DiCanio, as well all-know, is a player who deserves to be in the Premiership and nowhere-else, and he showed-us that a few seasons ago with that superb scissor-kick-volley that soon became `Goal of the Season` - no further questions asked! Man United have shown interest in this ageing `entertainer` from Italy in the past, and you can really see why when you see him play against some of the biggest teams around.
Trevor Sinclair is another player I feel could be on his way out. He may have a lot of First Division experience from his days at QPR, but he's played in the Premiership now, and estabished himself on the left-wing for England - in the World Cup too.
Why would he still want to be stuck in the First Division after all that?
And of course, there's Czech Republic international Tomas Repka - a player who joined West Ham with thoughts of the Premiership on his mind.
If there's one thing West Ham have been recognised for over the last few seasons then it's their youth academt setup that has produced the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Adam Newton, and even Man United's growing-startlet Kieran Richardson was once there, along with Rio's younger brother. And we're all expecting to see many more to come within the next few years.
But perhaps the 2 most well-known faces to have risen from the West Ham youth ranks and into the big-time are Michael Carrick and Joe Cole. Both midfielders are still very-young, but thanks to some superb indiviual performances both Carrick and Cole have established themselves as first-team-regualrs for `The 'ammers`, with a number of big clubs having shown keen-interest in them in the past. And furthermore, Sven-Goran Eriksson has also given them both the recognition they've clearly deserved, even we haven't seen them envolved for quite some time now.
But they are still young, and still have a lot to learn, and a ver-long way to go before they reach the top. To them, First Division Football would be an all-new experience unlike the Premiership. And against these supposedly `weaker` teams they'd be able to show-off what they can really do, and have some fun reviving their reputations while regaining the confidence lost with Relegation.
To simply ditch the sinking-ship once it has shrunk would be cowardly and foolish to such young players with so-many miles to go. And it would all come back to haunt them eventually too.
David James may be `slightly` older than the current crop of West Ham youngsters, but after a few hiccups here-and-there throughout his career, he could also use a season `down-beow` to help `re-build` himself in the same way.
And anyway, what kind of Premiership club would want a 'keeper that couldn't prevent his side from going-down??
But West Ham United isn't just a team of footballers, there's also a lot that goes on off-the-pitch in the boardroom and amongst the non-playing staff.
Chairman Terrence Brown has quite recently been given a hard-time by the regulars of Upton Park for failing to provide his club's manager, and team, with the funds they clearly need to start rebuilding and adding to the squad, in order to beat the drop and stay in the Premiership for at-leasy one-more-year.
We've seen incomes of £15m+ for both Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard within the last 3 years, yet a very minute amount of that cash seems to have gone into the team. It also seems that ticket-prices at Upton Park have shot-up through-the-roof recently too with fans phoning-in to shows like Sky's `You're On SkySports` recently, venting their feelings after being asked to pay around £50 for a single adult ticket up in Row Z for the home game sell-out against Manchester United!
With a lot of money obviously coming-in, but very-little going-out again, it doesn't go to say very good things about what West Ham's current financial state must be like.
And by moving down to the lower leagues below the Premiership, with a lack of Live TV coverage and a lot-less money coming in, things are only going to get worse for West Ham and their troubled fans, and the only way to keep the club out-of the red-zone could be to sell some - if not all - of those big-name players who have stayed faithfull to the Premiership drop-outs.
And if they're not to sell, then other avenues will have to be explored.
Perhaps season and match-day ticket prices will rise even-further - and not just for the big-games either? Anothr invester could help, but who'd be interested in a club outside the Premiership with such a low-income and small value?
It seems that things are only going to get worse for West Ham United and their fans once the inevitable has happened. A lot worse. And with their current state, it doesn't seem like they'll be able to improve things too-easily, and who knows, West Ham may even fall into administration down-there, and then have some REAL problems on-hand - just like the likes of Bury and Barnsley have already experienced after the collapse of ITV Digital. West Ham could even become extinct by the end of 2004 if things start to get REALLY bad down there!!
Anything could happen....
The only clear way to save themselves from all this (for now) would be to avoid the drop this season, and build-on from it then. But Glenn Roeder's still very-new to this job, and he's no Harry Redknapp! Face it... They're down!
"Up the 'ammers!!" is something they won't be shouting much-longer..!
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Another striker, hmm we have the worst defence in the Premiership and he buys another goalscorer (along with Bowyer).
Perhaps Roeder knows our defence won't be simple to patch up and the reparative measures should be undertaken at the end of the season. Thus if we are going to crawl ourselves out of the quagmire we are going to have to score more than the other team.
A Ronerism if ever I did write one but I think you all get my drift.
Perhaps Roeder knows our defence won't be simple to patch up and the reparative measures should be undertaken at the end of the season. Thus if we are going to crawl ourselves out of the quagmire we are going to have to score more than the other team.
A Ronerism if ever I did write one but I think you all get my drift.
Les Ferdinand's signed then.
But will his goals be enough to save `The 'ammers` at this point in the season?
But will his goals be enough to save `The 'ammers` at this point in the season?
The sagacious one wrote:
> We could sign Alpay from Villa on the cheap, or swap him for Repka
> (please someone take this great lump), David May from Utd would be
> good for a season, Clark Carlyle from QPR (ex-England under 21
> defender) or like suggested (and given our finances) loan someone.
Alpay is a quality player, who has fallen out with all the Villa players. We need to get rid of him as soon as possible to get the clubs morale up. If you get him then West Ham will have themselves a quality defender, who was named in the World Cup 16.
> We could sign Alpay from Villa on the cheap, or swap him for Repka
> (please someone take this great lump), David May from Utd would be
> good for a season, Clark Carlyle from QPR (ex-England under 21
> defender) or like suggested (and given our finances) loan someone.
Alpay is a quality player, who has fallen out with all the Villa players. We need to get rid of him as soon as possible to get the clubs morale up. If you get him then West Ham will have themselves a quality defender, who was named in the World Cup 16.
Solskjær wrote:
> I reckon you should move for Matthew Upson, before Steve Bruce gets to
> him first.
>
> And what do you reckon about David Dunn?
> He's a talented, young, attacking-midfielder who Blackburn are
> prepared to release for the right-price. But could there be a place in
> the West Ham midfield for him?
Upson would be a great sigining, though I doubt Arsne is prepared to part with him cheaply. Apparently Upson is the second quickest member of Arsenal's squad, Henry is first. That's not bad considering who else they have. David Dunn looks quality but I think he'd be a midfielder too far for our meagre squad limitations. Glad to see Jansen back, he's a left footed player who could fill the gap down the left for England I'm sure, even if he is a forward. If Heskey can do it...
> I reckon you should move for Matthew Upson, before Steve Bruce gets to
> him first.
>
> And what do you reckon about David Dunn?
> He's a talented, young, attacking-midfielder who Blackburn are
> prepared to release for the right-price. But could there be a place in
> the West Ham midfield for him?
Upson would be a great sigining, though I doubt Arsne is prepared to part with him cheaply. Apparently Upson is the second quickest member of Arsenal's squad, Henry is first. That's not bad considering who else they have. David Dunn looks quality but I think he'd be a midfielder too far for our meagre squad limitations. Glad to see Jansen back, he's a left footed player who could fill the gap down the left for England I'm sure, even if he is a forward. If Heskey can do it...
Narcøleptic Insomniac wrote:
> The sagacious one wrote:
> A midfield of Bowyer, Cole, Carrick and Sinclair looks rather good
> though...
>
> If you like to have a bunch of over-rated, underperforming p***-ants
> composing your midfield, I suppose it ain't bad.
Yup having four English players, all with full international recognition is a terrible thing for the club and the game generally.
I suppose overated foreign Puissants would be your preference eh?
> The sagacious one wrote:
> A midfield of Bowyer, Cole, Carrick and Sinclair looks rather good
> though...
>
> If you like to have a bunch of over-rated, underperforming p***-ants
> composing your midfield, I suppose it ain't bad.
Yup having four English players, all with full international recognition is a terrible thing for the club and the game generally.
I suppose overated foreign Puissants would be your preference eh?
Solskjær wrote:
> If David May makes it public that he wants to leave United NOW, then I
> think we could see him on his way to Upton Park.
> He is an experienced player, and captained United on the
> Treble-capping night in Spain.
Eh?! Schmeichel was captain that night and May didnt even play.
> If David May makes it public that he wants to leave United NOW, then I
> think we could see him on his way to Upton Park.
> He is an experienced player, and captained United on the
> Treble-capping night in Spain.
Eh?! Schmeichel was captain that night and May didnt even play.
The sagacious one wrote:
> A midfield of Bowyer, Cole, Carrick and Sinclair looks rather good
> though...
If you like to have a bunch of over-rated, underperforming p***-ants composing your midfield, I suppose it ain't bad.
> A midfield of Bowyer, Cole, Carrick and Sinclair looks rather good
> though...
If you like to have a bunch of over-rated, underperforming p***-ants composing your midfield, I suppose it ain't bad.
I reckon you should move for Matthew Upson, before Steve Bruce gets to him first.
And what do you reckon about David Dunn?
He's a talented, young, attacking-midfielder who Blackburn are prepared to release for the right-price. But could there be a place in the West Ham midfield for him?
And what do you reckon about David Dunn?
He's a talented, young, attacking-midfielder who Blackburn are prepared to release for the right-price. But could there be a place in the West Ham midfield for him?
We could do with a big, strong, quality centre half, like Hyypia or Rufus are. I think our scouts should be earning their money and find us a bargain abroad like the aformentioned Hyppia: 2.5m.
A midfield of Bowyer, Cole, Carrick and Sinclair looks rather good though...
A midfield of Bowyer, Cole, Carrick and Sinclair looks rather good though...
Jon Harley would be a wise-buy if Roeder could get him for the right-price. Anything too-high and it just wouldn't be right.
I don't think I've EVER seen Harley play for Fulham - at least not in the Premiership anyway. I remember him from his Chelsea days when he was a quality player... He'd be good as you're new left-wing-back, with Sinclair on the right.
I don't think I've EVER seen Harley play for Fulham - at least not in the Premiership anyway. I remember him from his Chelsea days when he was a quality player... He'd be good as you're new left-wing-back, with Sinclair on the right.
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