West Ham's best manager.

[wils]

We are always criticising on here and pointing out what people are not doing right. During the site migration I noted there threads titled "Redknapp out" where people were calling for his head.

So instead of pointing out what's wrong all the time. I thought I would start a more positive thread of what's right. We haven't won much since winning the world cup, but in the years since who was our best manager? What did they get right for them to earn the accolade?

[Bowener]

John Lyall

[twoleftfeet]

Redknapp without a doubt, finally got a big club when he went to Spurs 

[Sir Alf]

Lyall without doubt

[chevy chase]

Lou Macari

[Steady]

Best and most successful - John Lyall

2 FA Cup Wins
Division 2 Champions
League Cup Runners Up
European Cup Winners Cup Runners Up
Highest ever league finish - 3rd in 85/86 (1 game away from being league champions)

[easthammer]

I am not sure who the "Best" Manager title goes to and what criteria are being used to judge it?.

But without a doubt historically imo, the "Greatest" West Ham Manager was Syd King.  Thirty years in post he laid the foundations which enabled Paynter and ultimately Ted Fenton to lift us back into the top flight. Greenwood was a revolutionary footballing brain but I suspect a certain Mr Moore wouldn't have voted him the "best". I think Lyall was the most loved by players and fans but despite two FA cups, two relegations and I guess his time at Ipswich throw some doubt over his managerial abilities.

I have followed West Ham since Fenton's time and like others, I loved John Lyall (First seeing play in the Youth Team and later as a decent full-back in the first team before his injury) but I am still waiting to see West Ham's Best Manager.

It won't be Potter, will it? - He is only a Head Coach 

[zico]

Want to know why I picked Lyall? Buy the book 'They Played For John Lyall' by Tim Crane

 

 

Couldn't have put it better myself.  Lyall was manager from when I was 6 years old until I was about 21 so his style of football (win, lose or draw) was all I knew.  Probably got pissed off at some of the results and bad times, I think a home loss in the Cup against Barnsley 2-5 after being two up if I remember rightly was one in particular.  But have to admit I never wanted him "out" although maybe these days with social media, Hammers websites etc I may have felt different.  He always seemed though a genuinely nice fella although you only saw the odd interview, and I really don't think the Club has been the same since he left.

As said above Tim Crane's book shines a light on him superbly.  Very few have a bad word to say about him.  The only ones who seemed to be a bit negative were Tommy Taylor and John McDowell who criticised John's subtitutions when Frank Lampard did his groin just before half time in the 76 ECWC, although both come across as a bit up themselves.  Derek Hales was another who wasn't over complimentary but again seemed to think he was better than he probably was.  Cottee said Lyall was a bit of a bugger when it came to money and Alan Dickens felt John should have given him more support but that's about as negative as it gets in the whole book.  Lyall was certainly better at man management than Ron Greenwood was reading comments from the players.  In fact it would have been an interesting match up if Lyall had actually been manager but Ron had been just a coach.  I certainly think the board made a bad decision sacking him.  They could have moved him upstairs and allowed him to bring someone else through, like Ron did with him.  Either Billy Bonds or Alvin under John would have been good continuity.  It seems forgotten that he was only 49 years old when he was sacked, but what a waste of 34 years service.

Lou Macari brought some good players in.  Billy Bonds did ok, I always loved Billy but I am not sure that he really liked management as he was such a family man.  Harry played the right way but the Harry/Billy affair left a sour taste.  Both Pards and Slaven had their moments when it felt like West Ham, but Lyall will always be my favourite.

[WHU(Exeter)]

Probably because of my age it would have to be John Lyall, just such a decent bloke, as well as a great manager for us. But then I’m not old enough to know properly exactly the esteem Greenwood was held in, before my time.

Love Greenwood’s football philosophy though, and would’ve read his biography even if I hadn’t been a West Ham fan. He believed in and did genuine good for this club and English football.

Third, Trev, what a win %

liked to have seen Macari without all the baggage he had going on given a longer go.

[,]

The old first division and the PL are entirely different.

Best manager of the old era would for me be a choice between Greenwood and Lyall. Greenwood shades it because of our Cup winners Cup success.

In the PL era it is unquestionably Moyes. Shame that the likes of Pardew and Bilic never won anything and then lost the confidence of our owners.

Over the piece our top three managers are Greenwood Lyall and Moyes.

[honky cat]

god bless, pards

[Takashi Miike]

Best - Lyall
Success -  Lyall

Unfortunately, I only caught the last few years of John managing us, and apart from 85/86 it was a difficult few years so most enjoyable would have to be under Bagpuss. It was a great but ultimately frustrating time, where we yet again failed to build on the potential of so many good young players, and questionable decisions from the board

Since I stopped going, the only two managers that genuinely got the fans produced the best seasons and that was Pardew & Slaven. The rest, apart from Bonds, I couldn't give a shit about. Especially the negative jock

Want to know why I picked Lyall? Buy the book 'They Played For John Lyall' by Tim Crane

I really should get that, thanks for the reminder.

shop around as the price has gone up quite a bit recently

[Manuel]

Best - Lyall
Success -  Lyall

Unfortunately, I only caught the last few years of John managing us, and apart from 85/86 it was a difficult few years so most enjoyable would have to be under Bagpuss. It was a great but ultimately frustrating time, where we yet again failed to build on the potential of so many good young players, and questionable decisions from the board

Since I stopped going, the only two managers that genuinely got the fans produced the best seasons and that was Pardew & Slaven. The rest, apart from Bonds, I couldn't give a shit about. Especially the negative jock

Want to know why I picked Lyall? Buy the book 'They Played For John Lyall' by Tim Crane

I really should get that, thanks for the reminder.

[Takashi Miike]

Best - Lyall
Success -  Lyall

Unfortunately, I only caught the last few years of John managing us, and apart from 85/86 it was a difficult few years so most enjoyable would have to be under Bagpuss. It was a great but ultimately frustrating time, where we yet again failed to build on the potential of so many good young players, and questionable decisions from the board

Since I stopped going, the only two managers that genuinely got the fans produced the best seasons and that was Pardew & Slaven. The rest, apart from Bonds, I couldn't give a shit about. Especially the negative jock

Want to know why I picked Lyall? Buy the book 'They Played For John Lyall' by Tim Crane

[Takashi Miike]

Best - Lyall
Success -  Lyall

Unfortunately, I only caught the last few years of John managing us, and apart from 85/86 it was a difficult few years so most enjoyable would have to be under Bagpuss. It was a great but ultimately frustrating time, where we yet again failed to build on the potential of so many good young players, and questionable decisions from the board

Since I stopped going, the only two managers that genuinely got the fans produced the best seasons and that was Pardew & Slaven. The rest, apart from Bonds, I couldn't give a shit about. Especially the negative jock

[Mad Ferret]

Redknapp grew up an Arsenal fan.

Went to Spurs and starting spouting off about finally getting to manage a big club.

[wils]

I have preference for Redknapp. Not becuase he was particularly good manager (he did alright though) or brought much success, more becuase he was one of our own and it felt very West Ham at that time in a way it never did since. He took a risk signing Di Canio which paid off. Also for famously calling out the criticism of Lampard. Maybe controversial opinion but whatever we all think of Lampard the person, Redknapp was right about him.

[northbankfrank]

Best - Lyall
Most successful - Moyes

[Mad Ferret]

1. Ron Greenwood
2. John Lyall
3. David Moyes