West Ham - Missing Eggy Already

The replacement of Eggert Magnusson as chairman of West Ham by Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, means we are now effectively run not by a football man but by a businessman. Admittedly, being one of the richest men in the world Gudmundsson is presumably a very good businessman. However with Eggy the West Ham fans saw a man who didn't just know about football but had a passion for it at as well.

Eggy quickly became a favourite at The Boleyn because the fans could see that he cared for the team emotionally. OK, so Eggy never quite signed the big name players that he promised but you could tell that he tried and that he wanted to see them playing at West Ham. Gudmundsson on the overhand for the moment seems to want to invest not so much in the playing staff but in the infrastructure.

Don't get me wrong. Having a man at the helm who has the long term future of the club at heart and who has the financial wealth to see it through is a wonderful thing to behold. You only have to think back fourteen months and to the mess that Brown left the club in to realise how bright the future now looks.

However I can't help thinking that Gudmundsson has got his plans arse about face. I'd like to see a side that can challenge for Europe built before a shiny new stadium. I'd like to see a new striker and a creative midfielder bought in January.

I'd like to see my Eggy back.