The West Ham universe will be rocked with the news today that the board are still deliberating who might be best choice to be the new director of football. Yes, the club lethargy is astounding in a time when they need to show a force of will of get the club back on trackā¦and donāt be fooled by the win at the weekend because the club is still in a mess!
For the front of house, there might still be hope for the rest of the seasonā¦if the players can execute the game plan properly and take their chances with clinical precision, then all of the Hammersā fans will sing their praises and be thankful for a season coming to a closeā¦one would assume!
However, it is this assumption from those holding the purse strings within the club that gives most
cause for concern. They might have fans believe, if it were their will, that the panic was over and systems were go for August, however that could not be further from the truthā¦and behind the panelled boardroom doors they know that too.
The āHootens and the Ladyā made their big error when they appointed David Moyes to be managerā¦not necessarily for his suspect credentials or for his defensive approach to the game, but more because it was a desperate attempt to stop the rot with an ill thought out plan. They would argue that Moyes was the very best option given the circumstancesā¦and for a while their argument would have appeared to hold some water, but as with all jaded plansā¦their old bucket had too many holes for hope to escape through!
The team were in dire need of a good hoof up the backside, however the clubās decision to regress to the old guard with still another twenty seven games to go merely showed a complete lack of ambition and the temporary nature of the appointment would never bring the stability that was so desperately needed. How can anyone invest their time and effort into a manager who is only to be in post until the summer? This transient period has only destabilised the club further and it was hardly surprising that the owners failed to support the manager in the January transfer window.
So what for the future and how can this malaise and inefficiency be finally resolved? Well, the toxic trio may have finally realised that they must release their crippling grip on the club and especially for David Sullivan to take a backward step to let someone else see to the day-to-day footballing affairs within and around the clubā¦but this has not happened yetā¦why?
Everyone it appears is waiting for the end of the season and for the summer to miraculously bring in new faces that will freshen up the placeā¦like a lick of paint that would hide the grime and painful memories of all our yesterdays. However, this may already be a decision too late for the benefit of the club! There are too many deals to be done early in the transfer window, not forgetting that the transfer deals for incoming players closes at the start of the season as opposed to running until the end of August as in previous years.
The club need to set out their stall early on, but in order for that to happen they need to have a plan and structure in place which is primed and ready to goā¦as yet that has not happened. Of course many would link this to the precarious position that West Ham still find themselves in. The surviving or perishing nature of a club will largely determine what calibre of person would likely be attracted, however they should have been bold and gone full throttle already on this which would have given a clear indication that the house was being put back in order.
Of course the focus of everyone right now is for the team to do well and for Moyes to lead this gaggle of bandy legs to promised lands, however this is short sightedness in the extreme, for the summer will no doubt incite more intense probings from fans who would seek justice for the last couple of years and justification for ongoing trades.
Perhaps the owners are paying their due diligence or perhaps they are indeed overwhelmed by all of the recent unwanted attention and the realisation of their errors and poor league standing, but there must be endeavour and purpose on the field as well as off it. They must fix the broken club from the inside-out and help to restore faith amongst the massesā¦not that many will ever be so charitable to express forgiveness.
The club and the fans stand at the crossroads now, dusk is forming and the winds of change are rolling down the mountainside of negative opinion. The devil wants to make a deal for the souls of all past, present and future supporters and they stand in the way with a bag full of salt and a good charm to protect us allā¦if only they would choose to use it correctly.
They must act quickly now and cease courting would-be princes, make their beds and do their business early. Have a strategy in place, be astute to recognise the enemy at the gates and be well rehearsed to fend off devilish charms and supportersā war cries. These are potentially the most important decisions of their West Ham lives that would somewhat repair bridges but hardly restore faith.
Two years since moving into the London Stadium and the dream died for both supporters and club owners. It is time to get the club back on track with new purpose and direction. The isolating decisions are unenviable but they must be done. There is nowhere to hide, albeit there might be some sympathy if they wished to cut and run. This is the time to be bold, plant their feet and charge into the future, not recoil like Greta Garbo in the loneliest of times.