Redknapp and Rio regime would bring identity back to West Ham

A couple of years ago Harry Redknapp put Rio Ferdinand’s name forward as a potential West Ham manager.

As ever with Harry, it wasn’t just a selfless pitch - this is a man who’s Twitter account says he’s ‘proper excited about Mobile Cryptocurrency!’. Not one to let a potential pay cheque pass him by, he said he’d go with Ferdinand to the club as director of football.

I’ve toyed with the idea of this partnership at the club for some time now, although with Redknapp as manager and Ferdinand as his assistant, and I think it is the solution we are now looking for.

Embracing his character flaws as personality quirks, I’ve long been a fan of Redknapp. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking of him as a ‘wheeler dealer’ - although don’t tell him that - and to frame his career as one punctuated by leaning out of car windows, a cheeky pay day managing Jordan and his most recent failing at Birmingham, but just five years ago he was the man for the England job.

The FA shied away back then and Sam Allardyce’s acrimonious exit is probably illustrative of how a Redknapp reign could’ve ended too, but he truly earned the right to be favourite for the position. Mauricio Pochettino has transformed Tottenham Hotspur but it was Redknapp who picked them up from a similar position to where we currently sit and built the base from which Poch has sprung.

Redknapp gets players going, he gets the fans going, he’s clever in the transfer market and he plays a solid brand of football but also an attacking one. A fan of direct wingers, a maverick or two, a target man and a poacher, I think Harry could really do something with the likes of Michail Antonio, Andy Carroll, Chicharito and he may even be able to save the likes of Marko Arnautovic from becoming a very expensive flop.

He’s no Pep Guardiola-style philosopher but he does have a recognisable brand of football which we could all get behind. I’m not sure we want a Pep anyway. The fan behind me at the Liverpool game yesterday is unfortunately broadly representative of a fair few vocal Hammers and screeched ‘why are you passing it around!? Go forward!’ every time we played a bit of possession football, but then shouted ‘hoof!’ when we played it forward, summing up the directionless confusion which has already riddled our ground like a cancer.

Those negative fans, chasing this ‘West Ham way’ myth, frustrate me, but I do agree Slaven Bilic has to go. Whilst an honest and decent man, he has never shown any sign of an ideology and consequently we never impose ourselves on games. Redknapp would grab a game by the scruff of the neck and take it to the opposition in the intense way we are crying out for.

But the most important reason why I think Harry Redknapp would be a good fit is the fact he has his roots in our club. We are going through a clear identity crisis at the moment and walking away from that stadium towards the bright lights of John Lewis after each thrashing is leaving us in a very difficult place. Who are we anymore?

Redknapp knows who we are and, if not this ‘West Ham way’, I think he could bring the ‘West Ham feel’ back to the place.

While there are a significant numbers of doomsdayers, there are an admirable group of fans scraping around to make this place home, with grass roots initiatives from the new fanzine, to the boat events on the river, to the Hammers Social Club moving into trendy studios. Rather than rejecting the change they are gripping this new space and injecting it with ‘West Ham’.

Redknapp is someone who could engage with that process and like it or not, he is one of us. It makes sense to have a man at the helm who represents us and the club as we know it as we go through this struggle.

And I think having Ferdinand on-board would go some way to satisfying those who would inevitably turn their nose up at Redknapp as a manager of the past and, at 70 years-old, an appointment with no longevity.

Ferdinand is a classy operator, a modern man and would be an obvious heir to the throne. He’s the kind of statesman-like figure any owner would want representing the club on the national and international stage and, as perhaps our famous academy’s most esteemed graduate who went on to reach the pinnacle of the game, he has the rare trait of embodying both our club and raw, powerful success.

Ferdinand speaks intelligently as a pundit, is doing his coaching qualifications and Redknapp emphasises how he would regularly consult him as the pair were reunited at QPR towards the end of Rio’s playing career. He commands respect and, Redknapp aside, an upbringing under Tony Carr and the majority of his career under Sir Alex Ferguson will surely help his prospects.

There’s a lot of talk of a David Moyes and Phil Neville combination this morning - it’s a similar idea, but it’s Everton’s version. When we’re desperately clinging to our identity in a storm of total change, we need to be looking closer to our old home as we look to build our new one.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93.

The real owners of Jonathan Calleri

The Argentine striker is not owned by a football club, but a Tevez-esque investment fund.

Argentine striker Jonathan Calleri has joined West Ham with relatively little fanfare - but as word of his talent spreads, so does the mystery of his move deepen.

Sao Paolo, Deportivo Maldonado, Boca Juniors or someone different altogether?

The official West Ham site felt confident enough to release that the club had agreed to ‘sign Argentine striker Jonathan Calleri from Sao Paolo’ back in mid-July, so this move has been firm for some time.

With the Hammers saying they had got their man from Sao Paolo back then, the official announcement of Calleri’s signing now says he plays for Uruguayan second-division club Deportivo Maldonado, and was in fact on loan at Sao Paolo. Now a club insider has told the reliable ClaretAndHugh that ‘Boca wouldn’t go there at all’ on an eventual buyout price. That’s Argentinian side Boca Juniors - who Calleri undoubtedly played for but not since 2015.

So what’s going on here? It’s all very confusing but seems to hark back to an issue West Ham fans will be more familiar with than most - third-party ownership.

On transfer deadline day 2006, West Ham pulled off a major coup by signing Argentina World Cup stars Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

Fans around the world were left scratching their heads with regards to how they had pulled it off. Eventually it turned out Kia Joorabchian, an Iranian businessman interested in purchasing West Ham, actually owned the economic rights of the pair through various businesses, namely Media Sports Investment (MSI).

Whilst a familiar practice in South America, it was not so accepted in the Premier League and a protracted legal wrangle ensued, eventually leading to West Ham being fined a record £5.5 million for failing to reveal the full terms of ownership of the players. Whilst Tevez became a club legend after leading a great escape from relegation, the Hammers didn’t get a transfer fee when he moved to Manchester United, nor did they get anything when Mascherano transferred to Liverpool.

Eight years after departing West Ham, Tevez was back at boyhood club Boca playing up front with 22 year-old Jonathan Calleri, who netted 16 times in 41 starts for the Buenos Aires outfit. A decent record for a player his age - but there was more to come.

"the Hammers have him on loan from second-division Uruguayan club [...] who he has never played a game for "

Most recently, in the 2016 Copa Libertadores, Calleri was top scorer for semi-finalists Sao Paulo with nine goals. That’s no small feat. The Copa Libertadores is the South American version of the Champions League, featuring the best teams from Colombia, Argentina and Brazil.

As mentioned above, most outlets now report that the Hammers have him on loan from second-division Uruguayan club Deportivo Maldonado - who he has never played a game for and who would never realistically have had a chance of persuading him to.

"Inter were scared off by this deal"

So how did this happen? Six months ago, when Inter Milan were on the brink of signing Calleri and loaning him out to fellow Italian club Bologna, a mysterious third party club swooped in and bought Calleri. They registered him with Maldonado who are apparently a specialist club in transferring players from the Americas to Europe in a way which reduces how much those involved will have to pay in tax.

It seems Inter were scared off by this deal as they suddenly left the picture when a move was assumed imminent. Word has it that Barcelona were also sniffing around Calleri very recently, but West Ham managed to beat them to the signing too. Even as a West Ham fan, it’s pretty obvious that these clubs are attractive options. So was it just the fact that the deal was so unclear that these giants were frightened to do it in the same way Manchester United apparently turned down Tevez and Mascherano before they moved to East London?

"an investment fund in a transfer is against the FIFA rules"

Calleri’s real owners are said to be Stellar Group. Jonathan Barrett owns the player consultancy company and represents the likes of Gareth Bale, Luke Shaw and Joe Hart. Barrett featured in the Daily Telegraph’s 20 most powerful football agents in European football. With a pedigree like that, you’d imagine he knows what he’s doing, but one thing is for sure, and that’s that the presence of an investment fund in a transfer is against the FIFA rules.

Unlike first thought, this deal is evidently not as straightforward as Manuel Lanzini’s, who signed for West Ham after impressing during a loan spell in one of David Sullivan’s preferred ‘try before you buy’ transactions. If Calleri impresses like Slaven Bilic has indicated he could, there could be a really complex transfer chase for him and who knows where West Ham would feature in that.

With his international clearance still on hold, it’s possible details of his ownership will become a little clearer, but of all clubs, West Ham will know best to tread carefully.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

Problems for West Ham despite Chelsea win

Dreams fading and dying is literally in the script for West Ham fans, so I can’t help bringing myself back down to earth after our win against Chelsea by pointing out a few concerns.

First things first, our start to the season has been exhilarating and we have a squad with sufficient depth to maintain our form over Christmas and beyond. I don’t want to drag the mood down - I just think there are some potential issues worth noting before they materialise.

Sakho’s Sacrifice

The Senegalese striker will not score as many goals under Slaven Bilic as he did under Sam Allardyce. This doesn’t mean he is giving any less to the team; his work-rate has been incredible since Bilic came in and his relentless running, tracking back and dragging defenders out of position   should not be underestimated.

Diafra Sakho’s willingness to take on this role has been impressive and I don’t think it’s one that his strike partner of last season, Enner Valencia, would have the discipline or the positional intelligence to do. But I don’t think it’s something he, or anyone for that matter, can maintain over the whole season.

"could a hint of envy set in?"

He’ll keep his head down and get on with it whilst we are winning, but he’s in danger of becoming frustrated when we inevitably, like every team does, hit a bad patch. He was a revelation when he came in last season, surpassing everybody’s expectations by winning October’s Premier League Player of the Month and matching a league record of scoring in all six of his first starts.

That was a taste of the high-life for Sakho, and it would be understandable if he were to want that flavour again. At the moment he is putting in all the hard-yards whilst the likes on Manuel Lanzini and Dmitri Payet take the plaudits - could a hint of envy set in?

Payet Reliance

Payet is the best player we’ve had at the club since Carlos Tevez in terms of technical ability, and whilst we have a large and very talented squad, his importance is obvious, widely-documented and is becoming increasingly so.

"the psychological effect could be devastating"

‘Give it to Payet’ is becoming a familiar call on the terraces and, whilst every great team often has a talisman, we need to be wary of over-reliance. I have no doubts that the squad would have enough to get by without Payet if, God forbid, he were to pick up an injury - but I think the psychological effect could be devastating.

The Frenchman was faultless yesterday and, if he keeps this up, Didier Deschamps can’t ignore him for the national team. It seems a little too good to be true that we managed to sign him in the first place and we’ve had such terrible luck with injuries to key men that I can’t help worrying. Let’s pray that he’s an exception.

Slaven Bilic’s ‘philosophy’

The problem being that I can’t see much of one at the moment. It’s great in some ways. A purist like Arsene Wenger or Roberto Martinez might have been too stubborn to turn to an option like Andy Carroll yesterday afternoon, and it was proved how effective that can be.

But we did set up like an away-team, and gave a bit too much respect to Chelsea at times, especially for the first quarter of an hour in the second half when they were already down to ten-men.

"There’s no better feeling than a giant-killing, but we need to maximise points against the lesser teams"

It’s great that Bilic seems to have mastered this counter-attacking style. It’s led to four very memorable wins so far this campaign, but we still need to get our head around how to control the game and take it to the opposition rather than waiting for reactive opportunities to break. That much is clear from our troublesome home form against the lesser teams, particularly Norwich a few weeks ago.

Time will tell on this one. Everton at home will be a very interesting clash to see how we go up against a team of similar stature. There’s no better feeling than a giant-killing, but we need to maximise points against the lesser teams if we are to really stake a claim for Europe.

Man-management

And now the obvious one. Luka Modric and Vedran Corluka have spoken in the past about how Bilic is a top man-manager from their time working with him for the Croatian national team. He will certainly need his players at West Ham to respect him similarly at West Ham.

"the bench was worth around £52m yesterday"

Mauro Zarate has four goals in his last five starts, Michail Antonio had scored four goals in five appearances for Nottingham Forest this season before he joined for £8m. Just a year ago, it would have been inconceivable to think that players with those statistics would not get in the side.

By my estimations, the bench was worth around £52m yesterday. That’s an unprecedented array of talent for a West Ham team. Keeping Sakho happy whilst he is playing might be difficult, let alone some of the big names who won’t get in the team.

Andy Carroll won’t be happy making cameo appearances forever, Mark Noble’s place is at risk with Alex Song on the way back, Enner Valencia will want game time, remember Reece Oxford? The FA Cup can’t come soon enough for us to give us another platform to get these players on the pitch.

Bilic will have to be careful to rotate where appropriate to keep people happy, and that’s easier said than done when those in the first-team have been so impressive that it would be impossible to drop them. The Croat is renowned for treating players with respect, like friends, but as we saw with Morgan Amalfitano, he certainly isn’t a pushover.

" don’t think we’ve sold anybody who we wasn’t comfortable with letting go"

The biggest compliment that I can pay to David Sullivan and David Gold is that every year since we got promoted, I’ve thought “next season, our squad won’t be this good”. But we held onto the likes of Carroll, Winston Reid, now Song and also Mohammed Diame for as long as we wanted to.

I don’t think we’ve sold anybody who we wasn’t comfortable with letting go. That’s great and long may it continue, with other clubs certain to cast an eye towards Payet and Lanzini. But with success comes victims, and Bilic will need to make sure squad members feel valued.

-

Hopefully, none of these things manifest into real problems, but there’s nothing to be gained in avoiding them. If early impressions stand for anything, Bilic has the sense and mettle to tackle them head on, and continue leading us

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

Parker where he belongs at West Ham

Scott Parker’s inclusion in a recent artist’s impression of the Boleyn Bar at the Olympic Stadium was great to see. The Fulham midfielder’s image sits proudly in the company of Bobby Moore, Trevor Brooking and Geoff Hurst - and it’s where he belongs.

I’ve never been more ashamed of some supporters than when there were boos for the former England international on his first return to Upton Park with Tottenham back in February 2013.

I’m sure it was a minority, but it was a vocal section and Parker himself admitted that it was ‘upsetting’ after he looked forward to what should have been a hero’s reception.

Parker had to remain in the Premier League to secure his place in the England squad. Had it not been for him, we would have dropped to the Championship years earlier.

He and Trevor Brooking are the only two players in our history to have managed to win ‘Hammer of the Year’ an incredible three consecutive seasons in a row. Even fan favourites Bobby Moore and Julian Dicks couldn’t manage that.

Spurs may be fierce rivals but he’s not the only legend to have transferred there. Martin Peters made the move and is remembered as one of our favourite sons whilst the likes of Michael Carrick and Paul Allen are received fondly. Many reports have it that even Bobby Moore angled for a switch to Spurs at one point, as painful as it is to say.

If you had forgotten how inspiring Parker was in his final season at Upton Park, he was placed on the shortlist for PFA Player of the Year and actually won the Football Writer’s Association Footballer of the Year whilst playing for us in the season we were relegated. That’s unprecedented recognition for a man outside the top four, let alone in the bottom three.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

‘We are West Ham PLC’s skint, purple army’

When the home side emerge from the tunnel wearing purple, Everton and attending fans may need to double-check they’re in the right place when they visit Upton Park on Tuesday night. Yes, West Ham United will be wearing purple at home.

The news was delivered to the fans via an online message which claims the Hammers will be wearing it for the entire FA Cup campaign. This is quickly followed by a desperate link to ‘BUY YOUR THIRD KIT NOW’.

I wonder how many begrudging dads, who thought the reasonably priced tickets for the replay would be a cheap night for him and his son, will be trekking to the club shop after the final whistle.

Every Hammers fan has been crying out for a cup run to spice life up over the past few years. I still sit there and revel in the 2006 campaign from time-to-time - I’m not sure I’d be able to stomach looking back and watching the DVDs of us playing in this monstrosity.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Sam Allardyce rolled out in it himself before the match, looking like a washed up Barney the dinosaur, with a megaphone calling all fans to rush to the ‘megastore’ after the game to get their hands on the ‘limited edition kit’.

This news comes just after I received a swanky brochure about the Olympic Stadium. Needless to say it is plastered with the new badge, which looks like something the club nicked from a local secondary school’s graphic design class.

Fans have consistently been told that prices for the new stadium would be cheaper due to the extra capacity - that the move would result in football being given back to the community. Now the line is that ‘the Club can confirm they will be comparable with prices for the final season at the Boleyn Ground’.

Prices for the final season at the Boleyn are yet to be released but as the Right Honourable Baroness Brady CBE has already informed us that: ‘After last year's price freeze across the board, I am pleased we have been able to once again freeze prices for junior supporters’, it’s fair to say we can expect at least a 5% hike in prices for the other age categories.

Further taking advantage of loyal fans’ wishes to be at the final season at Upton Park, the club are asking season-ticket holders who want to renew to lay down a £75 deposit by April, which is certain to be tough for those who save up and pay for their ticket in the Summer, or for those who use the finance scheme.

A trip to the ‘Reservation Centre’ in Westfield, Stratford is also on the agenda for season-ticket holders who can thereby get a virtual view of their seat at the new stadium. It all sounds good except for the fact that, just before you leave, you will be asked to pay a non-refundable 25% of the season-ticket price. It all seems to be playing on fans’ fears that if they don’t cough up, they will lose their spot.

Featured in the new brochure was also a plug for the newly announced ‘Boleyn Bar’. Being named after the old ground and with a menu featuring the likes of pie and mash with liquor, it gives the illusion of a nostalgia-trip for long-time supporters. But you’ll have to lay out a £500 joining fee plus monthly payments of £140! And that excludes VAT! So much for the community.

To add insult to injury, the seats purchased in conjunction with the bar membership are either side of the tunnel. Have we not learned from the disastrous ‘Club Wembley’? The second-half will consistently begin half empty as those who can afford the bar, assumedly close relatives of Roy Keane’s infamous ‘prawn sandwich brigade’, make the most of their ‘free half-time drinks’ (yes, despite the enormous membership fee, the club are describing these drinks as ‘free’).

I’ve always been a fan of David Sullivan and David Gold, thinking they had the club and its fans at heart. I’d still like to believe that but events over the past few days looks like we are well and truly moving away from being a community football club and are becoming a corporate monster.

The players change, the stadium is changing, the badge is changing and now even the home colours are getting a makeover for games in what is the oldest association football competition in the world. Is nothing sacred? It is hard to cling on to what you are even supporting any more, apart from a mere name which will undoubtedly also be open to sponsorship soon.

The nightmare vision of West Ham United PLC, or some derivation of it, playing in a half-empty soulless bowl with a red and yellow kit (following a ‘McDonalds’ takeover) is really beginning to worry me. I’ve trusted Sullivan and Gold to oversee the greatest overhaul in the club’s history but it seems that, in light of recent days, they are losing sight of what makes West Ham special to so many people.

The owners know that West Ham’s claret and blue army (no, not purple) are fiercely loyal and look set to continue to buy into the club despite radical changes, but there is real danger of a total identity loss in the not too distant future.

And no Mr Sullivan, wedging a picture of Bobby Moore in every artist’s impression of the corporate future does not make it all OK.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

Is Valencia really so 'super'?

Enner Valenica has had few sceptics up to this point but I’ve been cynical of his worth ever since he missed the penalty which sent us out of the League Cup against Sheffield United.

The Ecuadorian international was also guilty of missing a number of opportunities from open-play that evening whilst fellow new recruit Diafra Sakho, signed for a fraction of the price, was the more impressive and managed to score the first of what was to become many.

Things have continued in similar fashion. Sakho has obviously been an absolute revelation. It seemed like the club even pre-empted him to become a Modibo Maiga-esq flop when they tried to pull the plug in favour of Connor Wickham, but thank God FC Metz forced through the sale.

Sakho slides effortlessly into any system, whether it be with the big man Andy Carroll, as a lone striker or with Valencia. His direct running and fearsome finishing is unlike any forward seen at Upton Park in the past decade - it's great to see David Sullivan already ironing out a new deal for him.

However, the Senegalese striker’s success and that of the team overall has hidden a number of flaws in Valencia’s game. Firstly, his hold-up play has been particularly poor – Valencia can be rapid if he is slid behind the defence but if Sakho isn’t there to catch up, he rarely retains the ball while back-up surges forward.

His game is also heavily reliant on confidence and this seems to affect much of his decision-making. After that goal at Hull, which was great admittedly, the South American seemed to take a shot every time he got within 40 yards of the goal for the next few games. A player that backs his ability is something we have missed for some time, but Valencia’s frequent inability to look up was worrying.

Many of these imperfections were painfully illuminated against Swansea when Sam Allardyce rightly replaced him with Sakho half way through. The difference in class was visible as the African’s clever runs gave him three clear goal-scoring opportunities, one of which he converted whilst the other two hit the post.

As Allardyce has duly warned, January will be a telling time for the Hammers. With Sakho off on international duty in Equatorial Guinea along with the absolutely imperial Alex Song and his fellow central-midfield powerhouse Chiekhou Kouyate, it would be surprising if performances didn’t dwindle.

With this trio gone, the forward nicknamed ‘Superman’ will have nowhere to hide. Much of the pressure will drop onto his shoulders to maintain our form and time will tell – with him being such an emotional player – whether he will thrive with the responsibility or become a frustrating figure at the Boleyn.

Valencia is evidently technically gifted - the Hull strike, Burnley header and assist for Morgan Amalfitano against Manchester City are evidence of this – but these magic moments all came via instinct. To cut it at the top level in the Premier League, a forward needs to be intelligent enough to outwit his opposing defenders.

When the shadow of Sakho, which has protected Valencia until now, fades away in the New Year, there’s a substantial chance that ‘Superman’s knack of saving the day might not follow the script.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

Redknapp is the man for West Ham

There’s a school of thought surrounding the current Sam Allardyce situation which preaches: ‘better the devil you know’. Well, there’s another devil we know, and his name is Harry Redknapp.

Firstly, on a personal level, I have never been anti-Sam and would have been more than happy to give him another season but it looks as though, with fan resentment at its highest since he took the job back in 2011, his position may have become untenable. Therefore, with the 78% who voted Allardyce out in the recent mass poll in mind, I’ve started to look at alternatives.

There have been countless cases of terrible managerial swaps in recent years. Too many of the more unfashionable managers doing solid jobs have been switched with suit and tie, foreign coaches promising Barcelona-esque football who have failed miserably.

Fulham, Cardiff and West Brom, for example, all went down this route and ended the season making up 3 of the Premiership’s bottom 4. West Ham are in a very similar situation. People will look to Mauricio Pochettino at Southampton as a success story but the Saints are in for a tough Summer in terms of transfer business and I think the Argentine could well come unstuck next season.

Even if Pochettino does continue his success, his appointment was a roll of the dice by a very financially stable club with a settled squad. With the much discussed Olympic Stadium move beckoning, West Ham are in no such position and must play it safer.

‘Premier League Manager of the Year’ Tony Pulis was undeniably the best managerial appointment in the previous campaign and unsurprisingly he is a tried and trusted man at this level who plays with practicality rather than lofty ideals. Obviously he would be a sideways step from Sam but West Ham still need to learn from this triumph.

This is also a time when the Hammers should look to someone who knows the club very well. An identity crisis is nigh with regards to the stadium move and the club need someone who they can relate to their history.

The perfect candidate is thus British, experienced in the Premier League, affiliated with West Ham and obviously a promoter of attacking football given the root problem with the current regime. In one word: Redknapp.

I know there are plenty of West Ham fans who won’t want Redknapp back for whatever reason, be it the long-ago backstabbing of Billy Bonds, the more recent link to Tottenham Hotspur or just the generally crooked perception of him, but there is no one else who ticks all the boxes.

Just a few years ago Redknapp was managing in the Champions League and favourite for the England job, making him unanimously considered the best English manager. The FA eventually opted for a less volatile option but most rightfully believe Redknapp to have been avoided for media reasons and the contemporary tax evasion case rather than managerial ability. I hope David Sullivan and David Gold aren’t so deterred by his potential for controversy.

Despite his ripe age of 67 years-old, after being replaced by Andre Villas-Boas at Tottenham (another failed case of British manager swapped with a potential mini-Mourinho), Redknapp proved he still has the thirst for football as he dived straight back in, first with a brief role at Bournemouth until he rashly took the helm of the sparkling, sinking ship in the form of QPR.

QPR hasn’t gone well for Harry; his squad wasn’t hungry enough to avoid relegation and the reckless spending before he arrived has left him with a big clear-up job. I get the feeling his heart was never really in QPR, it was more an attempt to keep his foot in the door through fear of being left in the wilderness and considered an old ‘has-been’.

But surely, regardless of what becomes of QPR in the upcoming Play-Off final, his heart would be in taking his local club, where he grew up looking up to Bobby Moore, played 149 games and managed for 7 years, out of their home and into the future. It’s the perfect final project.

I appreciate Redknapp may not always have remained loyal to West Ham since his controversial firing just after the Millennium, but he is still an East End bloke from Poplar with those memories.

Crucially, Redknapp is also a combination of attacking football and pragmatism. He has always encouraged his sides to get forward and partake in exciting games, but he will also play with the cards he is dealt with rather than being too attached to a certain philosophy.

Like it or not, West Ham have invested a great amount in Andy Carroll in terms of transfer fee and his bumper contract; unlike how Liverpool did, we can not afford to get a manager like Brendan Rodgers who will sacrifice him at a massive loss because he doesn’t fit a certain system. And also, why would we want to? The majority of the West Ham faithful like Carroll, even if they don’t like Allardyce, he is at a good age and one of the best at what he does.

Redknapp will not shy away from using a target man with wingers, and may even put someone up top with the big Geordie which would satisfy the wishes of many supporters, even if it might seem a slightly outdated system.

I’m not usually a believer in ‘going back’, I’m not sure a return for Alan Pardew would work although I liked him the first time round, but Redknapp has been gone long enough and is a big enough character to deal with the potentially tricky situation.

Also, an apt bonus is that Redknapp has been working with Ravel Morrison since February and reuniting the pair at Upton Park would dramatically improve the chance of him becoming a success. Redknapp’s man-management skills have seen him get the best out of many a difficult character, most notably Paolo Di Canio, and I would suggest no one would do a better to do a job with Morrison.

So if Sam has to go, why not go all out for Redknapp? He’s a fair more suitable option than a confidence-stricken David Moyes, a still unproven Malky Mackay or a Premiership unknown Ronald Koeman.

To really get back to West Ham traditions, why not also appoint a number two to be Redknapp’s apprentice in a manner reminiscent of John Lyall under Ron Greenwood? I’m not sure who would be heir to the throne but it would be great for a younger coach to learn under Redknapp and then eventually have the opportunity to take main stage after a few years in the Olympic Stadium to give the club some real identity and stability.

A bitter Tony Fernandes would certainly drive a hard bargain but if Redknapp fancied it he’d get what he wanted by hook or by crook. He could throw it back in our face, and that would be it, the already ropey relationship between club and man would be fully severed. But if he took it I can not envisage Harry failing. The return of the devil we know is, ironically, one made in heaven.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

The 'Gegenpressing' Future for Sam Allardyce's West Ham

You can also read this article is on my FTBPro account: http://www.ftbpro.com/posts/rich.maher/769234/the-gegenpressing-future-for-sam-allardyce-s-west-ham

Still trapped in the image of his Bolton past, Sam Allardyce is often derided as a dinosaur of the modern game - an anti-football, 'lump it long' monster. The criticisms of Allardyce aren't entirely unfounded; undoubtedly he does focus on defensive organisation, physicality and direct play. 

However, 'big Sam' has always had a limited set of tools to play with and has seen any opportunities at a higher job snatched by less experienced, yet more glamorous, foreign coaches. At West Ham he has used his practicality to achieve promotion, solidify survival comfortably in the first season back, and, now, seemingly to have overcome the dreaded 'second-season-syndrome' despite an extremely rocky period. 

With owners David Sullivan and David Gold adamant that they will stick by their man, whilst also providing a decent transfer kitty, Allardyce now has the opportunity to build a project - and with the move to an iconic 60,000 seater stadium just a few years away, the finished article could be huge. 

Whilst it is easy to label Allardyce 'old-school', it is well known that he is actually at the forefront of using new technology and statistical information in English football. There is no doubt that with his curiosity of the evolvement of the game, Allardyce hasn't studied the work of coaches like Jurgen Klopp and Diego Simeone who have taken their clubs from relative underdogs to European success stories. 

With impressive scouting and a brand of football, now nicknamed 'gegenpressing', an answer to Barcelona's 'tiki-taka', Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid have pioneered a style which is exciting, defensively astute and, most importantly, winning. Having acquired an impressive starting 11 over the last few years, Allardyce may only have to tweak a few things to rebrand himself as the English 'Gegenpresser', although it will certainly be an altered version.

Goalkeeper - Adrian

Adrian has quickly risen in popularity at Upton Park - at least 5% of supporters will belt out a Rocky-inspired 'ADRIAN' in response to the simplest of saves from the Spaniard. Obviously there is little that can be said for a goalkeeper in terms of a change of football-style, however, with an asset like Andy Carroll up top, it would make sense for the former-Real Betis shot-stopper to continue a kind of long, direct distribution from goal-kicks. The system is all about quick transitions so Adrian should still expect to play long in order to switch the opposition onto the back foot quickly. Not much change there.

Defence - Guy Demel, Winston Reid, James Tomkins, George McCartney

Guy Demel's form has gone somewhat unnoticed at West Ham, with some supporters actually calling for a replacement, but Demel has proved that he is useful going forward and can be a surprisingly powerful dribbler going down the right-hand side - thus he is likely relish the opportunity to be given more license to bomb forward. Demel also spent 10 years playing in Germany, 4 of which were with Dortmund, so he will be no stranger to 'Kloppism'. 

Winston Reid is an outstanding central defender who is good at both defending and with the ball, if the Irons are to move forward they need to hang on to the New Zealand international. There is no reason Reid can't operate a similar role to how Mats Hummels plays at Dortmund; that is marking tightly, being clean in the tackle but also bringing the ball forward and looking to give possession to an attacking player. 

Academy graduate James Tomkins is also a very good defender and is more than capable of supporting Reid, often stepping back to clear up anything Reid can not deal with - in an age where there is often just one centre-forward to mark, one half of the central defensive partnership can step up to take the dominant role. 

George McCartney, whilst good defensively, having served West Ham well, perhaps lacks the speed and stamina to get up and down the park if the Hammers are to become a more attacking unit. Allardyce recruited Napoli's Pablo Armero on loan in January, and whilst he is yet to feature he is said to have impressed in training with his speed and ability and a potential permanent deal is already being mooted. Perhaps Armero could be the answer to West Ham's Marcel Schmelzer.

Midfield - Mark Noble, Mo Diame, Stewart Downing, Matt Jarvis, Kevin Nolan

Mark Noble has had his best season to date for West Ham and has been immense in defending doggedly in the midfield but also passing the ball forward. It is clear he has learnt much in terms of retaining possession from Scott Parker's time at the club and he seems to have improved in fitness, stamina and speed over the Summer - he will be the root of the midfield intensity in the 'gegenpressing' system. 

Momo Diame is perhaps not the perfect partner in this position but his ability to pick the ball up and dribble it forward with power will certainly be useful. After an outstanding debut season in East London, Diame has been accused of lacking interest this term - to fit into the new system he will need to improve defensive intensity and also his vision. Diame has often been guilty of keeping his head down and running with the ball into trouble, this has led Allardyce to put him on the wing more often this season as it presents less risks in central areas. Perhaps, if he returns with a better attitude, Ravel Morrison would be a more suitable candidate for the role given his superior passing ability. However, Diame is a good player and shone on many occasions last season - he shouldn't be written off. 

Stewart Downing is clearly a favourite of Allardyce due to his excellent crossing ability but also his responsibility when it comes to defending; this attitude is vital to 'gegenpressing' as the wingers need to retain an element of cautiousness when the full-backs attack. 

Matt Jarvis has had a very disappointing season but his price-tag and an England call-up show how highly he was rated when West Ham signed him. Jarvis has the pace and the ability to enjoy the new system, he just needs to boost confidence over the Summer and, crucially, to add more goals to his game. 

Finally, Kevin Nolan is a problematic figure. He has been a figure of fan-frustration at times, however, he is likely to chip in with a goal, and finishing is something the Hammers' probably lack. If Allardyce was to push forward with 'gegenpressing', he would probably have to sacrifice Nolan, his captain and a player he has had a long association with. Nolan lacks the intense energy and play-making skills and could probably be relegated to a 'plan B' for West Ham. This is another role that, if disciplined enough, Morrison could fulfil. It seems a little harsh on Nolan, who is good at what he does, but he simply doesn't suit the system.

Attack - Andy Carroll

Who said the centre-forward is dead? Because of Barcelona's interchangeable 5 foot-somethings amongst the front three, there was a great hysteria that the number 9 was dead, a fossil of the shameful past of muddy pitches and two-footed slide tackles. Carroll himself became somewhat of an unjust symbol for this. But both Dortmund and Atletico have strikers over six-foot in the form of Robert Lewandowski and Diego Costa. Incredibly Lewandowski is set to move to Bayern Munich to play under 'tiki-taka' pioneer Pep Guardiola whilst Costa has forced away into the Spain side! The rebirth is here. 

There are few better than Andy Carroll in the air and he is a fantastic asset for West Ham from crosses and winning the long-ball. Carroll is also a hard-worker and quicker than many think, meaning that he will help to maintain intensity high up the field by chasing down defenders and forcing errors. Perhaps dribbling could be worked on to give Carroll another element of penetration, but if the big-man stays fit he should fit into the system well.

It's clear that West Ham have the squad available to reinvent themselves somewhat to a more intense, energetic unit. Some Summer shopping will be needed to upgrade certain areas and strengthen the depth of the squad but the foundations are there. Despite some protestations, Allardyce should be greatly praised for the stability he has brought to the turbulent club so far - but now is a time in his career and the evolution of West Ham United to kick on and prove the critics wrong. 

For the sake of English football we must hope Allardyce gets the chance and isn't replaced by yet another young, foreign 'director of football' in a fancy suit, as that is the way many owners seem to be going. Give him a chance and who knows? In just a few years West Ham could be playing exciting football, in Europe, in a 60,000 stadium. 

Ravel Morrison should NOT play for England

This is a plea in the national interest to the senior England team NOT to choose Ravel Morrison until after the World Cup.

After that breathtaking trip to White Hart Lane, which now seems like a foggy dream after a rare international break of actual importance, the name on everyone’s lips is Ravel Morrison.

Suddenly, after being ditched in the depths of football’s bad boys and labelled a thuggish outcast, Morrison has been linked with a new contract, a glorious return to Manchester United, and a seat on the plane to Brazil.

Many people have been credited with the early stages of Morrison’s rehabilitation - Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United set-up for having the foresight to let him go, Sam Allardyce for patiently working with him, Lee Clark for nurturing him during his loan spell at Birmingham City and, of course, Morrison himself.

One of the most positive elements of West Ham at the moment is what seems to be a strong and united dressing room. It is fair to say Kevin Nolan’s lack of mobility in midfield may earn him some criticism, but his leadership skills are evidently some of the best we’ve had for some time. The English domination of the dressing room must also create a greater sense of comradeship than other recent groups we’ve had.

This background atmosphere is highly likely to be a major reason why Morrison has begun to flourish. Suddenly he feels part of a team, whom he is equal with, who are relying on him to focus and work alongside them. It has been widely reported that Mark Noble in particular has built a protective bond with Morrison and made gestures such as inviting him into his home for dinner in an attempt to help him to integrate with the squad.

No longer is he the problem child, confined to a special support unit in what is a huge, unforgiving and assumedly overwhelming machine in the form of Manchester United. Morrison has been freed of that boarding school environment, which he so easily rebelled from, and is now affectionately ‘one of the lads’.

The faster Morrison’s reputation elevates, the faster this cosy set-up will disintegrate. The organic support system now surrounding Morrison will protect him from himself until his own ego transcends his perception of the club. Stars such as Rio Ferdinand tried and failed to tame Morrison’s wayward attitude, so Nolan and Noble deserve credit.

Both having had distinguished Premiership careers, these two players have yet to attain an England cap and it looks increasingly likely that neither will get the opportunity to represent their country. Particularly for Nolan, who has consistently scored a high volume of goals in the Premier League, an England cap has remained an illusive pinnacle of his career which, frustratingly for him, it seems he will never reach.

I would not like to suggest either Nolan or Noble would begrudge Morrison of a chance to play for England, but human nature would suggest an element of envy would certainly affect the relationship if Morrison was handed a call-up just a few good games into his career. In addition to this, Morrison’s past psychological problems suggest that he may then begin to see himself as superior to the pair who have taken him under their wing, and the relationship in its current form will thus be destroyed.

I have been personally surprised by Morrison. I don’t think it his quality which is surprising but his personality. I imagined him to be far more boisterous than he has been. It seems it may have been a little unfair, but the ‘gangster-wannabe’ stereotype has inevitably been associated with Morrison.

After a couple of goals, I’m sure I’m not the only one who expected him to bowl out of the changing room, snatch the bottle of champagne from Geoff Shreeves and declare himself on par with Lionel Messi in a rap-infected dialect. But whether it is due to good advice or his own judgement, Morrison has remained impressively quiet.

It is, finally, his football thrusting him in the limelight. He is undoubtedly a player of immense quality and his penetration in the attack is very special; his ability to glide past players and complete the move with a finish was shown against Spurs and repeated for the under-21s on Tuesday night.

But the FA are already drawing intense attention to Morrison. In his few days with the under-21 squad they released a video of his skills in slow motion, set against a dramatic, operatic soundtrack, and also leaked footage of him scoring an ‘outrageous chip’ in training. West Ham have also used Morrison’s image to promote today’s game.

2 goals for the under-21s will not help us quieten the Morrison hysteria - but a heated exchange with Manchester United’s Wilfried Zaha was a reminder that his maturing transition from hot-headed prospect to world-class is not yet complete.

I don’t wish to put a downer on the Morrison revelation. He is a player of immense quality and has been a breath of fresh air and much-needed creativity in our team. It would be great to keep him as part of our progress as a club into the Olympic Stadium, but if not, dependent on contract clauses, we could make a huge profit on him enabling us to propel the club upwards, much like how Tottenham have profited from Gareth Bale.

But Morrison is a complex issue. It may seem selfish from a West Ham perspective, but, at 20 years of age, I think at least a season focussing on domestic football, off of the international stage, would be beneficial for everyone. Undoubtedly Roy Hodgson and Allardyce will speak about Morrison, time will tell if they feel the same way.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with David Sullivan on University, East London and Olympic Stadium

David Sullivan is the proud owner of Premiership football club West Ham United, who will soon be moving into the 54,000 capacity Olympic Stadium. His journey to riches and controlling the club he supports has been somewhat unconventional - but it all began at Queen Mary.

Mr Sullivan made his millions in the adult industry and admits he was a little naive with regards to the stigma attached to his business. However, it is fair to say he has little regret considering the fact he became a millionaire just 3 years after graduation.

Sullivan insists “it was a very easy market as it hadn’t been exploited and the people in it were like old gangsters so if you had a bit of marketing skill and some brains you could slice right through it and make bundles of money”.

Undoubtedly, Sullivan is a very shrewd and intelligent man. He achieved 3 As at A Level before veering away from the likes of Oxford and Cambridge in the hope of a less ferocious three years at university.

He eventually decided to follow his brother to Queen Mary to study Economics. “Queen Mary was a really good college”, he said, “they call them all universities now to cheat the stats, but they’re really polytechnics called universities”.

The Hammers’ chairman certainly reflects back on his time with mixed emotions. Whilst he gets a warm feeling if he returns to the area, an issue which resulted in him narrowly missing out on being one of the only students in his subject to get a First still bothers him.

“Unfortunately we were taught the wrong maths syllabus and with 3 weeks to go our stupid, stupid young teacher said I’ve taught you the wrong stuff and I’ve now got to teach you 2 years in 3 weeks” he said. “I would have got a First had I been taught the right syllabus. I’m still bitter! Even 43 years later I’m sour about it”.

Whilst being happy he did the course, Mr Sullivan concedes that university probably wasn’t the best years of his life - and he’s certain that the six boys to one girl ratio in the economics department played a big part in that!

Sullivan had a fair amount of involvement with the Students’ Union during his time. “I was chairman of the economics society”, he said. “And I ran for President but they disbarred me because I was going to win! Because the Economics department was down the road then it was scary for them that someone from outside the main university could win”.

In terms of sport, Sullivan trained with the University of London boxers religiously during his second year, but he is more grateful for what he avoided rather than what he gained from the experience. “One night we were due to fight the British army who would’ve absolutely mutilated us”, he said, “it got called off for some emergency - I look back now and it was like a miracle! It would’ve been like slaughter!”.

Despite earning such a fortune so shortly after graduating, Sullivan does not underestimate the challenges faced by current students. He described the ‘work-for-free’ and internship culture as appalling and admitted it was far simpler for him to find employment in his time.

With so much money in the bank, Sullivan came to a point in his late-twenties when he questioned what to do with his life. After exploits in race horses and independent films (as well as an early attempt to get on the board at West Ham), Sullivan purchased Birmingham City FC with business partner David Gold.

“We bought Birmingham to have a hobby and a bit of fun”, he said, “that’s one thing money allows you to do. But the fans knew we wanted to be back in London and, despite being there for 17 years, they didn’t really respect the job we did until after we left”.

After finally taking over his beloved West Ham in 2010, again with David Gold and Karren Brady, Sullivan claims the West Ham fans have been far more appreciative of his efforts, especially the initiatives like ‘kid-for-a-quid’ and other attempts to “put a bit back into the community”.

A little unsatisfied, he hopes that even better times for West Ham are just around the corner, and is clearly itching to progress further. But he is very happy that he and David Gold have managed to secure the Olympic Stadium as the Hammers’ new home ground.

“I think it’ll be fantastic”, he said, “I think we’ll attract new supporters and the atmosphere will be terrific. The alternative is an empty stadium - that’s no legacy. We’ll have a vibrant stadium that’s used all the time and the surrounding area will get a huge boom on match-days. The legacy will be jobs, usage and the fact that every time people come they’ll think of the Olympics - mentally there will be a legacy”.

It has been reported that the extra capacity will allow West Ham to offer tickets at a very reasonable rate in comparison to the average fee for a Premier League football match.  Ticketing initiatives involving local schools and colleges are inevitable and Sullivan insists Queen Mary could be a part of that.

Surprisingly, with so many universities in London and Queen Mary just five stops away from Upton Park on the District Line, the student market hasn’t been particularly fruitful for West Ham. “We’ve tried cheap deals where students would have to produce an NUS card and we only sold a handful of tickets. I used to go when I was a student so I thought they would watch football - it’s a market we will continue to work on”.

Another market Sullivan is keen to penetrate is “English-Asians”. He explained that much of West Ham’s core support had now moved out further into Essex and that many areas of East London had become far more multicultural and “many of those living there don’t support football”.

“We are attracting small numbers”, he said, “we do have some Indian and Pakistani season ticket holders of all ages and a few corporate clients but we would love to become the club that English-Asians supports in London and that is probably our next big challenge”.

At the age of 64, Sullivan shows no sign of slowing down. His memories of Queen Mary are still incredibly detailed and vivid but his mind is certainly in the future as opposed to the past.

“They’ve never invited me back for an honorary doctorship or anything” he said, citing Karren Brady’s honorary doctorate with a little envy. Perhaps Queen Mary should be looking to to form a better relationship with this member of their alumni who is bringing accessible Premiership football even closer to their doorstep.

This article was written for QMessenger (http://www.qmessenger.co.uk/2013/10/515/), the student newspaper for Queen Mary , University of London

West Ham to sign Romanian striker

In addition to the possible return of Carlton Cole, West Ham could yet make another signing in the attacking department.

The club are considering offering a trial, or even an immediate deal, for Romanian forward Ciprian Marica.

Marica had been linked to various other clubs throughout the Summer, including Arsenal, however the former Schalke man is still in the hunt for a professional contract.

Standing at 6’1”, Marica fits the physical mould of Sam Allardyce’s preferred forward. He is also more than comfortable playing on the wing or behind the striker, meaning that his versatility would be very attractive to the Hammers.

As well as being his fellow countryman, Răzvan Raț, who was recruited by West Ham on a free transfer this Summer, also played with Marica at Shakhtar Donetsk and thus it is thought Raț’s influence will be integral to any deal going through.

Having plied much of his recent career in Germany with VfB Stuttgart and Schalke 04, Marica has been tested at a good domestic level. He has also amassed 62 caps for the Romanian national side, scoring 21 goals.

Whilst for his club sides he has mainly offered his services on the wing or as a second-striker, Romania have often needed to use Marica as a centre-forward and he has impressed in the role. West Ham would obviously utilise this versatility by using him as an under-study to Andy Carroll as well as an option elsewhere in the front three.

With David Sullivan and David Gold now confined to searching for targets in the free-agent market, it is thought Marica could be one of the only viable options available if the Cole deal falls through completely or even in addition to this.

Jack Sullivan, the chairman's son, has recently tweeted that Cole is not fit enough for Premiership football at this current time and that the club are looking at other non-contract players; Marica is the most serious of these targets.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93 for more West Ham news and articles.

Learn to appreciate the new direction

My overriding memory of the last Premiership fixture at Upton Park is the crowd bellowing out: ‘Andy Carroll, we want you to stay!’ Jeremy Nicholas (rather embarrassingly) asked the fans to get behind the cause to keep Andy but in truth it was not needed. It seemed every supporter was desperate for the big man to put pen to paper on a permanent deal.

There is great irony in the fact that the chant desperately aiming to persuade Carroll to remain at West Ham was in the same tune as the dreaded ‘we play on the floor’ drone which was so commonly sung by those disgruntled with Sam Allardyce.

Allardyce must be left scratching his head when fickle supporters express displeasure with his style of football, yet sing the praises of the forward who epitomises his tactics. The fact is; if you’re a fan of Andy Carroll then you are inevitably a fan of Sam Allardyce.

If Allardyce and Kevin Nolan were not at the club, a pairing who a section of supporters take issue with, then the England international forward would not be at West Ham United. It is as simple as that.

I think it was obvious that Carroll was left unfulfilled by his time at Liverpool and would’ve liked to have proved doubters wrong. But in a World Cup year, he made the correct decision to join a club with whom he is already settled, who will base their team around him and, vitally, who will play a style of football to suit him perfectly.

Personally I have no problem with Allardyce’s style. It is, of course, direct at times, but with an asset like Carroll it would be foolish to not to utilise his aerial presence.

We should be proud to be one of few clubs preserving the dying breed of the old-fashioned English centre forward rather than internationalising ourselves like everyone else in an effort to become yet another cheap imitation of Barcelona.

With the signing of another England international in Stewart Downing secured, we can now look forward to the prospect of two top established wingers supplying the delivery to our number nine. Surely we don’t have to be ashamed of having an appreciation of that?

I am quite surprised at the amount of supporters who aren’t happy with the Downing signing. The wide-man has been to a World Cup with England and undoubtedly we would’ve all loved to have snapped him up during his time at Middlesbrough and Aston Villa. Two average years does not mean he will not return to great form.

Unsurprisingly there was no such disapproval at the signing of Joe Cole. Cole was arguably a much poorer signing than Downing – he does not really fit into our current tactics, is older and was extremely injury-prone and out-of-form when we signed him.

Understandably the affection and nostalgia surrounding Cole provoked a reaction of sheer delight but, regardless of personal attachments and feelings, Downing will be a far more useful player to us than Cole this season.

Another fresh player in the squad is Ravel Morrison. Although he joined some time ago, his lack of action in a West Ham shirt and high appraisal gives him the intrigue and excitement of a big new signing.

Six goals in pre-season could show that Morrison is finally ready to fulfil the potential which was suggested when Sir Alex Ferguson said he was one of the best players he had ever seen. I am dubious to trust Morrison with his track-record and attitude problem, but he could be very useful if given the chance.

Apparently Allardyce has rejected several loan offers, including one from Birmingham who he was on loan with last year, and so it seems Morrison is finally ready to step into the first-team and prove whether he can make it at the highest level.

Morrison looks to be a fantastic player, and his skill was undeniable at the Pacos de Ferreira home friendly, but we can’t place too much responsibility on the shoulders of a young man who has proved he is liable to get a rush of blood to the head at any moment.

It is interesting that all the players mentioned in this article thus far are English. The English core at West Ham United is undeniably one of the strongest in the league now and something I’m sure all fans will welcome.

Of course it is great to have the exotic foreigner, we have certainly fallen for a few of them over recent years with the likes of Paolo Di Canio and Carlos Tevez, but as an English fan I think it definitely gives you a greater intimacy with the squad when they are of the same nationality.

The sense that they understand the club and its culture is invaluable and something I think will help drive us forward this season to an improved Premiership position and hopefully an impressive cup run.

And, as mentioned, it is a World Cup year. Who’s to say we won’t have another three Lions in Brazil in the Summer? Exciting times are ahead, I hope the persistent moaners can recognise that and embrace the direction we are moving in.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93