I'd like to begin by thanking everyone that commented on my first article. One or two would have been great but thank you for the volume! Some points raised were very interesting and without turning the comments sections into a conversation between myself and others if you drop me a PM on the forum (my user name is Sanchoz) we can discuss further there.
Why does Alan Curbishley have to come out and dismiss rumours and gossip that had no basis in truth in the first place? I am talking about this did he/didn’t he play Sebastian Pinto in the behind closed door friendly against QPR.The Mirror reported earlier this week that Pinto was bought into the club by Gianluca Nani, against Curbishley’s wishes and in retaliation Curbs did not play the Chilean in the game against QPR. Now people started to debate about possible splits between Nani and Curbishley and what that could mean to the club’s future. My brother and I were suckered into this and we debated who would leave out of the two and I was of the belief that Curbishley would be the one who would be forced out if there ever was a power struggle between the two.
Eggert Magnusson stated at the time of Alan’s employment that Curbishley was his only choice to replace Pardew. Nani is BG’s man. Curbs also admitted he 'needed his eyes opened in the transfer market"' when the post of technical director was created and to explain the need for such a position. It is not that much of a stretch of the imagination to say it was not Curbishley who went to the board and said we need a technical director, it was hoisted upon him.
Also, Curbishley in previous press statements has been cast as the man who identifies the targets and lets Nani make contact with the relevant people. If the Mirror article is to be believed then this is Nani taking on the brief of Curbishley in identifying the target. That’s the big problem with the manager/technical director system at other clubs. Its when the technical director starts to impose the chairman’s/board of directors wishes on the manager who has other ideas and who wants to do things their way. As I say above, BG bought in Nani, he wanted the structure that is now being implemented throughout the club and if Alan does not like it then in that situation he is dispensable but Nani is not.
Now coming back to reality, Curbishley rubbished the story with the revelation that Pinto did play for 80 minutes in the practice match. You can’t get more proof then that and the anger from Curbishley towards such press speculation and tittle tattle is evident for all to see. It got me thinking though, how are these reports coming out to make our manager so mad? If someone attached to the club has an agenda with the current manager and is briefing the press then they should be rooted out.
The suspension of people in the press office of West Ham could be related. I am not saying those suspended have been slipping bits and pieces from outside the ground to the forth estate but could the suspensions be related for a failure to stop the negative press? I do not know, just putting it out there. It does still leave the question of what’s this dark force that’s behind the negative and untruthful stories that are designed to hurt relations and to undermine the manager. Unless they show their hand we might never know. The accusations will be cast over many people but without actually finding the person or people behind it the manager will be under further pressure.
In fact, the way things seem to be at the club at the moment it reminds me very much of the Labour party at the moment. The slow drip of bad news and bad headlines is further creating a situation of doom and gloom in which the belief of supporters and people in general is dwindling. At least the club has not lost your personal details (yet) but it is looking very likely that there will be a change just like there is at the moment in politics. You could argue that at this moment in time, Curbishley is just like Gordon Brown.
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