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holyhandgrenade 5:25 Fri Feb 27
West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

Good piece and gets across how finely poised this relationship is. I hope we have a good run-in, BFS stays and we all live happily ever after... :-)


http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/feb/27/west-ham-david-sullivan-sam-allardyce-power-struggle

David Sullivan was relaxed, brimming with characteristic conviction and in the mood to give himself a pat on the back. It was Christmas time, West Ham United were fifth in the Premier League before the derby visit of Arsenal and the club’s co-chairman was larging it on the sofa of Sky TV’s Soccer AM show.

“The longer you are in the game and the longer you’ve had the manager, you get involved more and more,” Sullivan said. “Because when you see your money wasted year after year, you think: ‘I could do as good as that.’

“And you really can, you know. I know that sounds daft but if you’ve had 20 years of buying players, seeing money spent … they’re not geniuses, managers.”

It is not difficult to imagine how that went down with Sam Allardyce, Sullivan’s current manager and another man who is not known for being a shy and retiring type. Two weeks ago Allardyce said there was no more sophisticated coach in the league than him. In short he was furious. It is never a good look to have your employer suggest you are little more than an interchangeable patsy.

On 18 January, after Allardyce’s team had beaten Hull City 3-0 at Upton Park, he was asked a general question about the club’s improvement this season. “There’s one thing to realise – recruitment is everything in the world of football,” Allardyce said. “You recruit well, you become a great manager. Our recruitment this year has been fantastic. It’s the best I’ve had in my entire career.”

Allardyce meant it. From back to front, Carl Jenkinson, Aaron Cresswell, Alex Song, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have made important contributions. But at the same time it was hard not to wonder whether Allardyce was seeking to make some sort of coded point to Sullivan.

Here is the conflict at the heart of West Ham: the power struggle between the two men who control the football side of the club. Sullivan believes the improvement is down to him, specifically his decision to take responsibility for player transfers. Allardyce clearly is not having any of that but the upshot is he remains unclear over his continued employment.

Allardyce is out of contract at the end of the season and Sullivan will decide then, and not before, whether to keep him. Perhaps he is showing Allardyce who is boss but it is a remarkable situation given how the season has gone so far. West Ham have already hit all of their pre-season targets – they are eighth and safe, the stadium is sold out and they are playing better football. But the Sullivan-Allardyce dynamic is the fly in the ointment.

Sullivan, who talks and reacts like a fan, has not forgotten Allardyce’s infamous ear-cupping gesture at the Upton Park crowd after the win over Hull last March or how he felt at the end of last season when the team had limped home in 13th place, with 40 points and 40 goals. Sullivan gave vent to his emotions at a commercial dinner in which he stunned attendees, including the players, by laying into them and Allardyce in a speech. The feeling persists that Allardyce is far from being Sullivan’s ideal manager, that theirs is a marriage of mere convenience.

West Ham cannot countenance a relegation as they prepare to enter the Olympic Stadium in 2016-17 – and reap the incredible riches which that will bring – and Allardyce is surely the man to preserve their status even if it might not always be an aesthetic feast.

The uneasy situation has led to rumours and manoeuvring, with the Besiktas manager, Slaven Bilic, being linked as a potential successor to Allardyce. The charismatic Croatian, who is a former West Ham playing favourite, ticks a lot of boxes.

It was also interesting to hear well-connected figures within the game seeking to push Allardyce’s credentials for the Aston Villa job after Paul Lambert’s sacking this month and before Tim Sherwood’s appointment. For the record Villa were not keen.

Song and Sakho have been the biggest successes of the Upton Park recruitment drive of last summer and, during his Soccer AM appearance, Sullivan made it clear that he was central to the deals, particularly the one for Sakho.

“If the manager wants a player that you particularly like … for example, Alex Song, then you go the extra mile because you love the player and you break your wage limits and your budgets,” Sullivan said. “I chose Sakho, for my sins. I was recommended to him by Karren Brady’s brother [in December 2013] and we followed him.

“Sam hadn’t got a target that he wanted so I said: ‘As much as you don’t want Sakho, I want him, so let’s take him.’ And he said: ‘All right then.’ I think had he got someone else he wouldn’t have taken him and Sakho wouldn’t be a West Ham player.”

Sullivan has admitted Sakho, who played at Metz in the French second division last season and had been the club’s fall-back option behind Connor Wickham – who could not be prised away from Sunderland – was a “complete gamble.”

Some you win, some you lose. West Ham, for example, lost with Modibo Maïga who they signed from Sochaux in 2012 for £4.7m. There are similarities between the strikers but whereas Maïga flopped at West Ham, Sakho has thrived. He has scored 11 goals so far and the £3.5m fee has come to look like a bargain.

The margins are fine at the highest level and they certainly were for Allardyce at the end of last season when Sullivan chaired a board meeting to discuss whether to sack him. In the end, West Ham retained him for three key reasons.

There was the lack of a compelling alternative – Steve McClaren was the best name they came up with – the fact that Allardyce had not lost the dressing room and the financial implications of dismissing him.

It would have cost the club £2.5m to pay up the final year on his contract and a further £1.5m for his backroom staff, plus the money for a new manager and coaching team.

It is extremely difficult to second-guess Sullivan, to read the ongoing battle between his head and his heart. The former knows results are the most important thing while the latter wonders whether the grass could be greener with a different manager. Dare he roll the dice with the Olympic Stadium move looming?

Sullivan has noted how eight of West Ham’s final nine matches are against teams that are placed 10th and below in the table. He believes they are winnable, that a strong finish is there for the taking.

Allardyce faces another day of reckoning.

WHOicidal Maniac 5:37 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

"Song and Sakho have been the biggest successes of the Upton Park "

Dont agree with that at all.

Man for Man I think that Cresswell and Jenko have been a much better and bigger success than Song.

Consistent and tireless.

Song on the other hand is completely inconsistent and puts us in the shit more often making the "Killer pass".

On his inconsistent days Im not even sure the benefits of having Song out weigh the Fouls, ball-hogging and misplaced passing to be honest.

ILOVEPAOLODICANIO 5:38 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

Allardyce had his chance to win us over this season.

Insisting on playing Nolan (what a shock Noble improved tremendously with him out the team) and quitting at Chelsea before the game started shows he doesn't give a fuck about our club and is just picking up a pay cheque.

After8 5:40 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

This feels like it's been leaked to soften the ground up.

Alex V 5:43 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

What an excellent article - great to see the reality at the club exposed somewhat by what seems to usually be an oblivious and uninterested football media.

Alex V 5:54 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

Reading between the lines, there's a suggestion there that had Villa offered the job Allardyce would have gone. Presuming that the same job will be available again in the Summer once Sherwood makes a hash of it, they might be more willing regardless of whether Sullivan offers him a deal.

oneteaminlondon 6:19 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

Reasonable article.

The key factor in the sam in or out debate is the state of relations between Allardyce and Sullivan.

Personally I think the personal conflict between Sullivan and Allardyce has gone so far that far from seeing Allardyce as a safe pair of hands on the run in to Stratford, he's actually become too risky.

I believe this because the conflict appears to be so deep and Allardyce 's reactions at times so bizarre and negative and point making that he's now fundamentally become something of a loose cannon and cannot be trusted100% to work in the best interests of the club.

I think he's become such a massive risk for West ham next season that the comparison and the assessment of possible replacements becomes easier. He can't be trusted. For this reason more than any other I don't believe he will be offered a new deal, not unless protective provisions and get outs are put in place to protect west ham and to reduce the costs involved in an emergency replacement situation etc.

Never warmed to the man and not sorry to see him go.

Balto 6:20 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

A very insightful article. Nothing that we didn't know already but it's now out there in the public domain. Both Sully and BFS could behave better. Sully should be satisfied that he knows he made the good purchases and Sam should appreciate a supportive involved owner who has unearthed some diamonds this season. Enter the EGOS!!!

I. for one, am grateful for the stability that BFS has brought us but he has earned a boat load of money and its time to move on for all of us.

In comparsion to most clubs we are rich, well supported, just about to move into a well appointed new stadium and half the team are playing quick high pressing football in the right third of the pitch.

A European place is probably beyond us as the best team played at WHL and the gap between our best 11 and the bench is Grand Canyon wide.

If I were the owners I would sit down with Sam and tell him he's on a league placing bonus for this season and get an early agreement with the next manager who will take us on the next part of the journey.

I'd also get Karren Brady's brother on the payroll permanently.

ajc123 6:25 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

"already hit all of their pre-season targets – they are eighth and safe"

This was not our pre-season target. Sullivan wanted a top 6 finish and a cup run. So I don't think Allardyce has 'done what's been asked' this season. And what this season has revealed is, is he even capable? For most of us the answer is 'No'.

ajc123 6:28 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

Balto and he's spent a boat load of money too. It's good to see some reflection from the oaf in the quote about recruitment. At least he sees that the owners have backed him 100% in the transfer market. He's just spunked all the potential.

Balto 6:55 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

ajc123

I think BFS could argue that some of our recruiting has been last minute loan deals compared to other clubs purchasing outright. But basing your entire attacking strategy on Andy Carroll being picked out by Jarvis running up and down the wing has clearly not paid off.

Andy Carroll's body clearly can not sustain this style of play. His ankles and knees have given out and modern defneders know how to deal with it. On his day he is unplayable but they are few and far between. Fellaini isn't having much luck with this in a ManU shirt either.

, 7:50 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

To me this article is full of holes. It expresses opinions that are flawed such as calling Song and Sakho successes when the rest of us know that Cresswell and Jenkinson have by their overall play also contributed significantly to our performances.

I'm interested too in ajc's post in that he seriously thinks that we've got a top six squad when self evidently we have not. By all means criticise BFS [ and his haters shop around for the least little reson to find fault ] but for goodness sake to base opinions on reality.

I'm not one to be much in thrall with pundits but I do not remember any one of them tipping WHU for a top six place. For that matter neither did any of this Board's sensible posters.

BTW, I voted for BFS not to have his contract renewed.

Crassus 8:19 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

I think it is all irrelevent, as the manager has a choice too and in the wider market his currency will never be higher, nor his earning capacity

I firmly believe he will walk elsewhere and achieve whatever target is set, be that stay up or get promotion. He will be at a struggler or a big side wanting in on the PL cash

And in reality that will likely be best for all concerned

Hammer and Pickle 8:22 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

That's an interesting one Crassus, as I have a feeling that, like Curbishley, he may not be awash with offers after all.

the exile 9:05 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

H & P - fucking well hope you're right.

Joe C 9:11 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

Absolutely an article written and published by a Sullivan acolyte.

Nothing wrong with that of course, but I'm unsurprisied by the posters that claim to love the article.

And WHOicidal maniac is right, Jenkinson and Cresswell are the finds of the season. Cresswell in particular

Balto 9:11 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

This will be BFS's last Premier League appointment unless he gets another Championship side to take up.

Think of all those promotion managers who couldn't manage to maintain that momentum in the top tier. Nigel Adkins, Ian Holloway, Tony Mowbray, Chris Hughton, Peter Reid, Alan Curbishley, Neil Warnock, Danny Wilson, Harry Redknapp (with QPR), Billy Davis, Mick McCarthy, Paul Jewell and so on.

The top tier of clubs in the PL is littered with managers who have had international experience, are multi-lingual and are computer literate.

, 9:21 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

Curbishley should not be on that list.

ajc123 9:29 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

Comma that was what Sullivan said he wanted. Nothing to do with where I think we are.
We've shown that this squad can compete and we should have capitalised on the fortunate coming together of Sakho, Valencia, etc. We haven't and now when we should be challenging and difficult to beat we're struggling.

Crassus 9:39 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

ajc

Not entirely true that

Draws against Man Utd, home; Soton and Spurs away say otherwise

Particuarly given we should have had another 4 pts from those

Alex V 10:12 Fri Feb 27
Re: West Ham’s marriage of convenience threatened by struggle for power

>>> Particuarly given we should have had another 4 pts from those

Not in my opinion - I think we rode our luck in all three.

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