The bedsheet brigade was out in force at Upton Park. Romelu Lukaku had just done what comes naturally to him against West Ham, discontent was in the air and high in the Sir Trevor Brooking stand, the moment had arrived for one supporter. He had been waiting all afternoon for the opportunity and when Lukaku won the game for Everton in stoppage time, the banner calling for West Ham United to sack Sam Allardyce appeared.
The majority of West Ham’s supporters have seemingly had enough and they want the club’s board to act. Allardyce’s contract is up and it is looking increasingly likely he will not be given a new deal. The trip to Newcastle on Sunday may be his final game.
West Ham are already looking at replacements. Besiktas’s Slaven Bilic and Derby County’s Steve McClaren have been linked with the job, while those rumours about Napoli’s Rafael Benítez turning up in east London this summer refuse to go away. If West Ham could convince Benítez to join them it would be huge statement of intent. “We only hear what the public hear,” Mark Noble, the captain, said. “We don’t know anything about it. It is a massive thing because the manager is out of contract at the end of the season so we don’t know what’s going on with that, but we’ve got on with the job, we’ve come 10th or 11th in the Premier League, and we need to beat Newcastle.
“As players we don’t know what goes on in the background between the manager and the chairman. The manager has done very well, got promoted and finished as a firm Premier League team since. As I said, I think they will sit down in the next couple of weeks and we’ll know where we are.”
There are no guarantees of Benítez taking the job, though, and it is worth remembering the past four years under Allardyce have been successful. He won promotion in his first season and has kept West Ham in the Premier League with ease. His steady hand may be what West Ham need if they qualify for the Europa League via the fair play table and their season begins with the first qualifying round on 2 July. Perhaps there should be more appreciation of his work.
“I think everybody in the world of football has very short memories,” Allardyce said. “It’s only what happened a couple of weeks ago or next week that matters. What happened four months ago is forgotten, whether that’s good, bad or indifferent. That’s football across the country. The only way forward is winning. Entertaining and losing – like we did against Everton – is not what everybody wants. Entertaining and winning is what you want but winning is the most important.”
Allardyce’s cause has not been helped by West Ham’s poor results since the turn of the year. They were in the top four at Christmas but this defeat saw them give up 10th place to Everton. Stewart Downing gave West Ham the lead in the 62nd minute, only for Leon Osman to score a brilliant equaliser. Lukaku’s late header was the killer blow.
Yet perspective is required, even though it has been a disappointing end to the season. Injuries have had a sapping effect. West Ham were without Andy Carroll, Diafra Sakho and James Tomkins against Everton and James Collins limped off after 14 minutes. The reality is that West Ham need a bigger squad, with or without the Europa League.
The board will let Allardyce know where he stands soon enough. “I’ve never heard them say I’m not doing a good job,” he said. “I’ll find out next week and then I can ask them why – see if they give me an honest answer.”
Allardyce laughed. At least he has his sense of humour.
Man of the match Romelu Lukaku (Everton)
