I've been a Hammers fan enough years to know he is actually doing a really good job, probably better than any manager we have employed since joining the managerial hire 'em and fire 'em curse after getting rid of John Lyall.
Since then we've had Macari, Bonds, Redknapp, Roeder, Pardew, Curbishley, Zola and Grant plus caretakers Brooking, Keen and Boyce. Of these only Sir Trevor really comes out with any credit, but he only stood in for Roeder and rode the wave of hope.
Bonzo did OK until being screwed over by dodgy 'arry.
Pardew after a bad start turned things around until himself getting screwed over by the Icelandics unfunded dreams of glory.
The Chelsea rejects Zola and Grant were both disasters.
Curbishley's only success (saving us from relegation) came about by luck after injuries meant he had to recall Green, Tevez, Noble and Collins who he had dumped in the reserves after Pardew went.
Rednapp was doing a pretty good job until we sold Rio Ferdinand, after buying Hartson and Kitson he made the statement that you could only rely on British players, then as soon as he gets the £18m from Rio's sale he goes out and buys a huge bundle of dodgy foreigners who weren't worthy to wear the shirt and probably only topped up his dogs Monaco bank account?
So as for Allardyce it's been promotion, 10th place, 13th place and currently 9th.
Considering 6 of the teams above us pay monthly wages bigger than our entire transfer budget I don't think that is too bad.
Yes Sam's style of football isn't always the greatest to watch and his loyalty to Kevin Nolan even though he is way past his his best has gone a bit too far, but this seasons transfers (apart from Zarate) have all been good investments, although players like Cresswell, Sakho and Kouyate will probably be shipped out by the owners for a large profit :(
The early season form (when Nolan was injured) spoilt a lot of people who were dreaming of a top 4 place, even though us experienced long suffering real fans knew it wouldn't last.
The inevitable slump after Christmas when injuries to key players took their toll on a limited squad then starts the "sack Allardyce" campaign?
Who do these people really want in charge? no really good manager is going to come here and work with limited funds and interfering chairman, which leaves all the has-beens and never was's that get brought up time and time again :(
Bilic, Moyes, McClaren, DiMatteo, Poyet, Howe, Benitez, Jol, Mackay, Laudrup and even fucking Redknapp?? are all being tipped to take over.
Out of those only Benitez is on a par with Allardyce but he would need money to fill us up with unknown Spaniards and the two David's aren't keen on over spending.
Eddie Howe is promising but I think he's not ready for the big time yet, we will hopefully see next year if Bournemouth make it up to the big time.
Last year we went through the same thing with all those names getting mentioned and I said in my annual "give Sam a break" post that the only one I would prefer to Sam was Koeman, now he has done a really good job so far at the Saints although it probably helps having a £100m sitting in the bank from transfer fees received and everyone having low expectations due to them losing a few of their star names.
I suppose this will rumble on until the start of next season, which is a crucial year for the Hammers with the move into the Olympic stadium the year after. Premier league football is absolutely vital and are they going to leave it in the hands of someone who has never been relegated (and all the clubs who have sacked him have been relegated within a couple of years) or risk everything in the misguided opinion that things will get better under someone new?
That's it ... my opinion :)
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