It makes sense, doesn’t it?
You don’t make business deals without a backup plan in mind, and West Ham’s takeover was no different. I’m sure that the new management already had a contingency plan for West Ham in case their form worsened and West Ham were still stuck in the relegation zone by mid December.
As the official statment from West Ham says, it is better to act now than in February when there’s little chance of a ‘revival’.
The media is citing the 4-0 defeat at Bolton as the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’, and they’re not far off the mark. I’m sure that Magnusson had a manager in mind (or at least a shortlist) and that he had already contacted these managers in advance. I’m also sure that Magnusson had faith in Pardew, and that the Bolton defeat highlighted deficiencies that could not be repaired by just time.
Lack of motivation is one thing that has plagued West Ham all season, and that, coupled with their ‘lucky’ first season, means that people are looking to place blame rather than find proper solutions.
The first bit would be to either get rid of Mascherano and Tevez, or to make those deals permanent if needed (with Tevez, I think they should keep him). The new manager should be announced soon, but whether it’s Curbishley, Eriksson (my pick, despite the denials) or Roy Keane, I don’t think West Ham will get relegated this season. One of the teams above them will take a massive nose-dive and allow West Ham to escape. Sheffield United and Watford are the two favourites to go down – who else?
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