The Matt Egginton Column - A more consider opinion

By Matt Egginton
October 8 2002

Before you all start raving about why on earth I’m going to bore us all with West Ham United on a Spurs site I would like to point out that the points raised herein could be about anybody

Gasp! I here you cry in anguish…it’s the return of the longest thread on NLP. Relax footie fans its ok! For now.

Before you all start raving about why on earth I’m going to bore us all with West Ham United on a Spurs site I would like to point out that the points raised herein could be about anybody, its just that we have a few ‘residents’ here and at the moment its them but as the lottery so promised…’it could be you’.

The aim here is to stir up some debate as asked for by one of the regulars of NLP who was complaining about the lack of recent traffic. Also it aims to appease our ‘pet’ iron Bonello, who deserves his name up in lights for spending so much time on a Spurs site…well done.

The debate seems to be about the wrongs of Roeder at WHU at present. I have only seen them a couple of times this season and they weren’t as bad as bottom of the league states, they could have beaten us at WHL and were terrific against the gooners. However, I would, if allowed, like to make some attempted unbiased comments on the irons. Firstly I must state my admiration for the club and reinforce that they are, in my mind, the ‘best’ of our most hated rivals…you know what I mean.

Roeder, it appears is a thoroughly decent individual. A nice man, of integrity and spirit. But then again so was Christian Gross. He is West Ham born and bred and that counts for a lot…we know we have a brother at the helm here lest you forget. However, you can be the fan, the ‘club’ as much as you want but if you KEEP and I mean KEEP losing games you should win, it soon counts for nothing. This is something that even Glenn knows and understands - I hope it never happens, but am certain even his time will come.

The problem for me is the players. Obvious I know, but probably not how you think. You cannot keep on asking players to play and do things they are not equipped to do. The example at Spurs is Davies at right back or Tarrico as wingback or Iversen on the pitch! What I mean at WHU is less about position and tactics but more about experience, know-how, quile, and strength. What on earth am I talking about you ask?

Well for me Cole, Carrick and Defoe, to name three, are highly decent players that any team and or coach (and especially us) would love to have. For confirmation see Fergusson’s approaches for Cole as a ‘kid’ and Wenger’s long term admiration for Carrick. Carrick would have been at the Arsenal by now had he have been born in Paris and been named Michel Carrique!

What I am getting at, as an ‘outsider’, is that whilst these players are of undoubted class they are asked, week in, week out to do jobs that they are not physically and mentally prepared for. I have stated elsewhere that young players need protecting and spoken of the need to protect Davies and Etherington and perhaps (hopefully) a few others at Spurs. They need protecting from the opposition, the fans and even themselves to keep them on track and as not to over exert themselves and thus face ‘burn-out’.

The problem at WHU lies in the squad, they have no Freund, no Ted, no Poyet or Ferdinand to rely on, especially mentally. Those Spurs players may not be the greatest, nor the most talented but they are experienced. They have done it before, in all the settings. West Ham fans have laughed at our ‘ageing’ squad, but secretly, and Bonello himself as hinted, they would love, and this time to bring in a Freundesque character. They do not have them and as such the younger players at WHU are asked, perhaps when off form, or slightly injured to do jobs they are not equipped for.

The question is, perhaps, why? Whose fault, a manager that ‘is’ WHU, if a little inexperienced and with an iffy record, or a board whose primary motivations I’m unsure of…no good to have a great ground with ‘no’ team to show it off. No good being known as a club who produce lovely players season after season who ‘have’ to move on to fulfill their potential as the next Gazza, or next Bobby Moore.

In the analysis, as an outsider to WHU, I edge on the side of Roeder. The question should or could perhaps be…would Sir Alex or Wenger have achieved the successes they have at their clubs at West Ham?

One word answers on a stamp to T. Brown esq. WHUFC.