Curbs Receives 'Vote of Confidence'
"The board of West Ham recognise that recent results have been disappointing and frustrating for everyone connected to the club," a board statement said.
"However, there is no question of Alan Curbishley's future as manager being called into doubt."
"Alan, his staff and the players have done well to put the club into the top half of the table, despite a massive injury list, and they have the full support of the board.
"Of course, there are challenges to be met and further improvements needed to keep the club moving forward. The board will work with Alan to ensure that the progress we have made is maintained and built on to deliver success and long-term stability for West Ham."
Despite a 'vote of confidence' often being seen as a last warning, in this case it does seem that any questions over Curbishley's position have been invented by the media. On Sunday The Observer printed a story quoting a 'source' at the club claiming a replacement was being sought for Alan Curbishley. That article only included one direct quote which seemed to contradict the paper's assertion by saying that the question of Alan Curbishley's management of the club had not been raised.
Today there have been numerous follow up stories to The Observer's claim - all saying that the West Ham board were refusing to confirm Curbishley's job was safe. West Ham therefore seem to have had no alternative but to issue today's statement. It was a case of being damned if you do and damned if you don't.
This whole affair does seem to be a classic media sting. The media invents a story. When the club refuse to respond to the story - the media claims that this is evidence that it is true. Then when the club do finally respond, denying the story, it is seen as evidence that Curbishley's days are numbered.
GOTCHA indeed.
posted by Keir Clarke @ 8:34 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Regardless of the statement released by the club,which as you quite rightly suggest,HAD to be made because the speculation had reached fever pitch,it is extremely difficult to see Curbishley lasting beyond the season. Simply put,the Icelandic owner is a businessman ,and a fairly ruthless one at that . As a businessman,if his product is being jeopardized by fans being dissatisfied with both results and the style of football we play,then he can and will change it. you can t raise season ticket prices,you can t sell carling and FA cup tickets,you can t sell club merchandise and you can t even sell that much beer when supporters are hacked off. This is why the odds remain heavily stacked against curbishley ,even if by some miracle we finished on 58 or more points.
i ll clarify this by saying that i don t think he s a bad manager. and i don t think his struggles are for lack of trying. but i just think that the club needs someone stronger and better qualified to move the club forward. it doesn t make him a bad manager,nor does it minimize what he did to help us survive last year ,and to reach 40 points thus far this term. but the bottom line is the cliche-IT IS A RESULTS BUSINESS. there is no getting away from that ,especially when results start to put in jeopardy the "business" of the owner. i hope curbishley finishes the season strongly for everyone s sake,including his own, but being brutally realistic,i can t see it.
perhaps he ll prove a lot of us wrong,myself included.
you mention the fact that we need someone with more experience basically which rules out anyone we've been linked to... i hope we will be able to attract a big name for manager but not the likes of di canio as much as i love the guy we need someone who is proven bilic is also unproven as he has not been at a club that i know of and if he has nowhere near prem standards.
so honestly who are west ham going to attract as a manger, a good manager like wenger (hate to say it) wouldn't ever join and a decent manager i doubt would want the job due to the board interfering all the time.
we dont want to end up changing managers and then becoming pissed off because it hasn't worked. as that is a never ending spiral downwards.
we will have to go foreign with the next man for the job i just dont know if west ham are big enough even with the plans to attract anyone who is better if not as good as curbs.
also i always hate the vote of confidence as it always means change it now of ur fucked!
A businessman also has longterm vision. He didn't get where he is today with a one year to 18 months plan.
I agree with Coey that Di Canio,brilliant a player as he was,is not the answer. No managerial experience,and plenty of passion, but perhaps to volatile a temperment. i also agree that there are risks with Bilic, though i can see potential positives there as well. I also agree that it is difficult to come up with a suitable english candidate- part of me thinks stuart pearce might work,when you look at what he s achieved with the england under 21s, but in the end, wud pearce be much better than curbishley? it s tough to say,but i think pearce is a better motivator of players,despite the fact that he lost the jobh at man city.
which means perhaps the real answer is a manager from continental europe. yes ,we re not a champion s league club, but at the same time ,there is no reason why we couldn t achieve what blackburn,everton and villa are now,with the appropriate manager. a building,or re-building job is needed ,but given the history and tradition of the club, i don t think that shud necesarily turn somebody off from taking the job.
Why not Ron Atkinson? I just love the guy and he has the experience as a manager on these shores.
nor did he the owner get where he is by being unwilling to cut his losses.
in the long run,we re all dead
Di Canio!
Fascist salutes. After making a salute in a match against Juventus in December 2005, he was suspended for one game by the Italian Football Federation and fined 10,000 Euros. After criticism from politicians for his behaviour, he stated that he would,"always salute as I did yesterday because it gives me a sense of belonging to my people."
Di Canio initially refused to apologise for his actions and claimed that he did not intend to make a political statement. He insisted that he is free to communicate with his fans in whichever way he pleases, though the Italian constitution considers Fascist propaganda to be illegal. These events sparked a series of debates throughout the country, comparing the difference in the perception of the far right and left. Di Canio amended his earlier remarks and claimed that he is "a fascist, not a racist. The salute is aimed at my people. With the straight arm I don't want to incite violence and certainly not racial hatred."[3] He later denied ever having made that comment which was attributed to his lawyer.
Thank goodness the club is owned by Björgólfur Guðmundsson.
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