Curbs the Favourite to be Sacked
WEST Ham boss Alan Curbishley has been installed as the 6/1 favourite to be the first Premier League manager to be sacked next season by bookmakers William Hill. William Hill made it clear that it was not Curbishley's sucess as a manager that influenced this deciscion but the fickle nature of some of the West Ham fans.
"It's nothing personal against Alan Curbishley and injuries disrupted West Ham's season lat time round," stated a Hill spokesman.
"However, if he doesn't get off to a decent start we have a feeling the fans might make their displeasure known, which would exert unwelcome pressure on him."
For many fans, after Curbishley helped save West Ham from relegation and after last year's solid season, it is inexplicable that he is seen as being under fire.
posted by Keir Clarke @ 9:37 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I don t think it s a case of being inexplicable .Whether it s fair or not is another matter altogether. But with fan expectations at the club very high, with supporters seeing clubs like man city and villa and spurs investing big, WHU supporters are ,not surprisingly ,a bit edgy. Not to mention ,for much of last season ,the type of football on display ,at home especially, was less than ideal ,injuries or no injuries.
I think it is accurate to say that the fans will have enormous sway on this. Given what supporters are paying for tickets now, they will feel the right to express themselves if the standard of football is not up to scratch. I don t think the risk to Curbishley is so much that the owner pulls the plug in a hurry ,but that ,if things don t go to plan ,that supporters anger far surpasses what was seen last term, which leaves the owner no choice but to make a change. I continue to have mixed feelings as to whether Curbishley is the right man for WHU,altho I do believe he is a decent manager.
One thing is certain. Curbishley is going to be under extraordinary pressure - to the point where I wonder if he (or anyone who cud replace him down the road for that matter) will be able to cope. And this message from the bookies has just added even more pressure,which of course the guy didn t need.
g portugal
With West Ham not investing big this transfer window (although we live in hope) perhaps the fans will start blaming the board and not the manager.
Hopefully if Bellamy, Dyer and Faubert stay fit we might see more attractive (and pacey) football this coming season.
However at the moment I can't see us overtaking any of the teams above us and I'm worried that Sp~rs and Newcastle will have much better seasons next year.
On paper we look to have a reasonably easy start to the season - so if things do go wrong early on I agree I think Curbs will be under pressure very quickly.
interesting what u say about the early fixtures- i had the same thought. it may not be the blessing that it appears for Curbishley, for if we don t start strongly there will be nowhere to hide.
also agree that one thing on curbishley s side is that if the owner fails to invest ,then the dissatisfaction of supporters will shift partly towards the owner. Curbishley ,and for that matter ,no manager ,can be expected to succeed with inadequate investment. Not when all our nearest competitors in the table are investing sizably,bar Blackburn.
The owner has gone on record many times about wanting to raise the profile of the club, and significantly improve its position in the league table. If he s serious about that ,then he d best be prepared to do his bit, otherwise he s wasting his own time and the time of all connected to the club, including those paying for ever more expensive season tickets.
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