Is Big Sam Still Our Man?

It has now been just over a year since Sam Allardyce took over as our Manager and it has to be said, a lot has changed during that time.  We have seen a massive overhaul of playing staff, a Championship campaign that certainly had its ups and downs and an amazing Wembley Play-Off Final that saw us regain our position amongst the elite.

Our owners offered Big Sam just a two year contract with one objective - secure promotion as soon as possible.  Messrs Sullivan and Gold provided the funds and Big Sam was left to do the rest.  No pressure then!  It wasn't always pretty, that's for sure.  There were times where it seemed he would not achieve the promotion we so desperately craved - and above all so desperately needed seeing as our financial situation was so precarious. 

In May 2012 promotion was achieved and the dream realised.  The scenes of euphoria that followed the final whistle will live long in the memory for every West Ham fan.  Understandably, the sense of relief was probably the overwhelming emotion that day for obvious reasons.  The failure to gain promotion could have been catastrophic for the club.  Thankfully, promotion was achieved and our attentions soon turned to the Premier League and ultimately what was required to stay there.

An exciting summer followed where numerous rumours littered gossip columns and swamped the pages of Twitter.  Finally the transfer window, as Jim White on Sky Sports likes to say, slammed shut and our transfer dealings for the summer were complete - and what a transfer window it was!  We saw the arrival of Diame, Diarra, Maiga, Jaaskelainen, Henderson, Jarvis, Collins, McCartney, Benayoun and of course Andy Carroll.  Added to this we have the likes of Tomkins, Reid, Noble, Cole, Demel, Collison and the skipper Kevin Nolan.  Our squad is looking the best I have seen it for a long time.

We have a lot to thank our owners for.  After all, it is their financial backing and endless hours of hard work that has made it possible for us to boast the squad we have.  We should also be saying thank you to Sam Allardyce as well.  I believe it's his pulling power as a manager that helped conclude a lot of these deals.  Despite what many fans may think of his tactics, he holds a lot of respect in the game from players.

 

Sam Allardyce has taken an awful lot of stick from the fans over the last year, some of which was justified to be honest because our football at times during our Championship campaign was dreadful.  I must also hold my hands up and admit that I was one of those fans guilty of dishing out the criticism.  I think it's about time though we began to appreciate the fact that we're very fortunate to have Big Sam at the helm.  We must stop this negativity towards him and appreciate the work he has done at the club - especially in very difficult circumstances.  Lets not make any bones about it, the club was a mess when he took over.  There were players in our squad that were not worthy of wearing the claret and blue.  Some of the players in the squad were not even worthy enough to be called footballers.  The spirit within the squad was at and all time low.  However, with the help of Kevin Nolan, Allardcye's first signing as manager, the morale in the West Ham dressing room is at an all time high and as good as it's been for a long time.  The manager and his staff must take a lot of credit for that.

 

The new season has started well and hopefully we'll be celebrating our third league win out of five come the final whistle on Saturday.  We're looking pretty good defensively and our midfield is very strong.  Our strength of depth was evident last Saturday where we had the likes of Tomkins, Benayoun, Jarvis, Maiga, Diarra on the bench and Andy Carroll still to come back from injury.  Yet we were still able to field a very strong team with Nolan, Diame, Noble, Reid (one of the most improved players at the club), Collins and Demel.  Some of the football we have played this season has been far from long ball, especially against Fulham where we played a very good, well established Premiership team off the park.  In fact, this long ball argument is becoming bit of a myth.  There have been times this season where we have adopted that style, but it is unfair to say that's the only football we are able to play.  We have the ability to mix and match our styles, depending on the opponents we're facing at the time.  That can only be a good thing.

 

For the first time in years it's great being a West Ham fan.  Let's embrace these moments and celebrate them, rather then finding ways to criticise and moan.  The title of this article asks the question; Is Big Sam Still Our Man?  For me the answer to that question would be a resounding yes.  I hope he's our manager for a good few years yet.

 

Thank you for reading.

 

Regards,     

 

James Wallis