Curbishley and the Argies…
When the Hammers defied all the odds and battled valiantly to beat the runaway league leaders, Man United, only two weeks ago, triumphantly heralding the arrival of the man charged with performing a miraculous rescue mission for the club, Alan Curbishley, an uplifting wind of optimism swept through Upton Park. But only one point from the subsequent three fixtures and the gruesome nature of the humiliating 6-0 defeat at Reading, has left nobody connected with the Hammers, in any way romantically disillusioned as to the seriousness of the current predicament in which West Ham find themselves firmly entrenched. Alan Curbishley was brilliantly successful as manager of the Addicks, a team which ironically he now must view as a fierce enemy upon which he wishes relegation of the most emphatic variety. He kept Charlton in the top league season after season, often threatening to take them into Europe. Through intelligent acquisitions and calm man management, Curbishley achieved commendable success with limited funds. But the arena he has recently entered offers a profoundly different set of circumstances and challenges. With 16 games left to play, his Hammers team are 18th in the table, at best 4 points away from the safety of 17th.
What caused the horrifyingly sudden decline in the fortunes of the east London club is an issue fast conceding importance to the matter in hand of securing a place in the top flight for next season. I remember watching last season’s FA Cup final from the sun drenched lounge of my Melbourne flat.
Liverpool were exceptionally lucky, and though Gerrard’s first strike was worthy of winning any match I was enthralled by the decidedly British enthusiasm and passion which West Ham displayed. Yes I know they lost, but I couldn’t help but gain respect for both then manager Pardew and the team he had created. The nucleus of that squad remained at Upton Park during the summer break but after that magnificent effort in Cardiff, their form this season has faltered into dangerous territory. Dean Ashton’s long term injury has certainly contributed to the horror and in some unfathomable way so has the arrival of the two Argentine internationals, Tevez and Mascherano. Both of the South Americans starred for their country at the 2006 world cup, and both players have since been coveted by a handful of top European clubs. Still, partly due to the Hammer’s decent showing in the league and FA Cup, the decision of the Argies to sign for West Ham, at the time, seemed almost conceivable and a logical step forward for the club. Imagine the hearts of all the Upton Park faithful filling with pride derived from the news that their long served club was now of such global prestige that two of the up and coming stars of the world game were coming to town. Neither Argentine has since played much football for West Ham. And the exact circumstances of their contracts have been kept unusually clandestine which has fuelled rumours hinting at financial irregularities in the transfers and criminal agent meddling. The crux of the matter is that critics have suggested Tevez and Mascherano have come to West Ham solely in order to be seen by a wider audience, generate interest in both themselves and their club, then command huge transfer fees in order to move onto clubs who are of a greater stature thus making a handsome profit for West Ham and agents. A common story perhaps in modern football where the $ is fast replacing passion and loyalty. No need to dwell on the issue other than to reiterate that neither player has been given the chance by Pardew formerly or Curbishley currently, to show what they can do. And two players who have both been individually praised by the demi god of football himself, Diego Maradona, should be given the chance to show what they can do. In an Argentine team that forces Lionel Messi and Hernan Crespo to sit on the bench and watch from the sidelines, Mascherano and Tevez were mainstays. They must be incorporated into the first team if West Ham are to claw their way out of the miserable bottom three. If they aren’t to be used then Curbs should sell them both to any of the still very willing suitors, pocket the cash then invest it wisely on a few quality players who are up for the fight.
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