Insult to Hammers fans: Is West Ham’s history really pure fantasy?
Yet another pundit has joined the “be careful what you wish for” brigade, but this time it’s former Hammers coach and player Stuart Pearce.
Let’s be honest here, pundits are lining up to call West Ham fans deluded for daring to wish for a bit of ambition and entertainment. However, I didn’t expect to hear it from Pearce, especially not as part of a tag-team mocking spree alongside Sam Allardyce.
“You’re not wrong Stu”: A smug Allardyce looks on as Pearce dismisses The West Ham Way as fantasy. A massive insult to Hammers fans.
The unfortunate exchange was broadcast on a show called ‘No Tippy Tappy Football with Sam Allardyce,’ which is available on Spotify.
During the podcast, host Natalie Pike asked Pearce, “Why are people still questioning David Moyes, do you think?”. It’s clear that when Pike says ‘people’, she means West Ham fans, and so does Pearce in his reply.
The former Moyes assistant said, “Some people have a hang-up about the style of football. I think it stems from the 1970s and days of Bobby Moore and Trevor Brooking. They’re looking at the academy of football sign on the door with rose-tinted glasses.”
“I think, if they’re honest, it’s not a time that ever really existed.”
Now, I’ll save my outrage for another time, but to suggest that the innovative Ron Greenwood and his successor John Lyall did not produce a footballing identity at West Ham is a massive insult.
Pearce continued, “In the hundred-odd years of history that West Ham have got, I think they’ve had three trophies. Since being the Thames Ironworks in the eighteen erm whatever years. They’ve only ever won four trophies, and Dave [Moyes] was part of that.”
Be careful what you wish for
“Under Dave, they’ve had trophies, they’ve had finals and semi-finals; sometimes it’s a case of be careful what you wish for.”
What made this inaccurate rant all the more galling was the smug look on Sam Allardyce’s face throughout. Clearly, Big Sam was in full agreement with Pearce in the latest tirade at West Ham fans for daring to want a bit of entertainment.
For the record, Moyes did not win us our fourth trophy, and I’d have expected Pearce to know that, considering he’s represented the club on three separate occasions throughout his career.
