By Paul Stoneman ⋅ May 17, 2007 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Premier League, West Ham

I have been told by various non-Hammers: “you must be relieved”. But ‘relief’ is the wrong word. ‘Joy’, ‘elation’, ‘amazement’ - these are the words that ring true with Hammers fans at the moment. Relief happens when you have something, are about to lose it, and then you don’t. “Phew”. Sheer joy, on the other hand, is the product of a big surprise, something improbable. Let’s face it, by March, pundits and Hammers’ fans alike had West Ham relegated.

They were dead and buried. Last season, Portsmouth also looked dead and buried, but 20 points in the final 9 games accomplished a great escape. Just for the record, West Ham accrued 21 points - with a tougher run-in. So the people that kept the Hammers up, the people that made the seemingly impossible happen, are in line for some well deserved credit.

Or so the record books would suggest. The reality is that reality has been obscured. The ‘reality’ behind why West Ham were initially plunged into the mire; the ‘reality’ why Curbishley struggled to get the club out of the relegation zone; the ‘reality’ why West Ham eventually pulled off the greatest escape ever in the Premiership. Fuelled by bitter chairmen and poor journalism, one story has obscured all of this. As a corrective, I will side-step the issue of Tevez’s transfer. Instead, I wish to inject a bit of reality back into the story of West Ham’s season, 06/07. For brevity’s sake, I will concentrate on the last reality - the people that made the great escape happen.

The Tottenham match marked a return from injury for Lucas Neill, who, though not officially given the captain’s armband, ended up in practice being the one true leader on the pitch, organising the back line and installing a calming presence. Despite a sickening loss against Tottenham, well deserved luck arrived in the controversial 2-1 win away to Blackburn, which also saw a recall for James Collins. His strength and no nonsense defending have been one of the main catalysts for West Ham’s survival, along with an upturn in form from goalkeeper Robert Green who must surely be close to England’s number one spot.

Another important change against Tottenham was the introduction of Mark Noble. A West Ham man at heart, his work rate and tackling added bite to the midfield, while his intelligent running and technique allowed him to notch two Premiership goals in 10 starts. Reo-Coker’s return was a paltry one in 35.

It is fair to say that the overarching catalyst for West Ham’s revival was the manager himself

Up front, Carlos Tevez undoubtedly inspired with his constant running and, eventually, crisp finishing. He is one of a handful of phenomenal talents to wear a Hammers’ shirt, and if West Ham’s only activity this summer is to secure his transfer, it would represent the biggest and best transfer in the club’s history and would truly signal a turning point for the club.

Returning to matters on the field, Tevez’s form was galvanised by his partnership with Bobby Zamora, whose influence cannot be underestimated. He linked the play with some fine touches, not to mention weighing in personally with some superbly taken goals. His movement, awareness, work down the channels, first touch, heading and ability to hold the ball up were all superb assets; they were aspects that improved under the management of Curbishley, and aspects that proved to be essential ingredients in integrating Tevez into the team.

This leaves the final word regarding Alan Curbishley. Within weeks, his seemingly conservative approach frustrated fans. You could see the stress he was going through, but more importantly, the fans started to realise that the players under Curbishley also started to show how much defeat hurt as well; all too evident at home to Tottenham.

His individual management of players along with Mervyn Day paid dividends. Green’s lack of shouting and organising was addressed; Zamora’s link play and overall game improved; Collins and Ferdinand started to form a solid partnership, and Mark Noble was trusted to be the midfield general. Also responsible for bringing Lucas Neill to the club, it is only fair to say that the overarching catalyst for West Ham’s revival was the manager himself.

The odd psychological aspect about sport is that it can make spectators of winning teams and individuals stand a foot taller. Nobody knows why, it just does. As I write this, I am still seven feet tall. So I return to where the season ended for West Ham fans - joy, and despite bitter chairmen and unprofessional journalists, there is a lot of joy being obscured.

Joy that West Ham finally has an honest and wealthy chairman, a man of football, who is both a gentleman and a scholar. Eggert, we salute you. Joy that West Ham now has a captain worthy of the armband. Lucas, you have been a true leader. Joy that West Ham has helped to kick-start the career of a future international star. Carlos, you were inspirational. Joy that I was a West Ham fan season 06/07. Singing and dancing in the face of adversity, the best support in the land.

Is Curbishley the main reason for West Ham’s survival? Share your views by leaving a comment below.

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