Richard Keys says that West Ham United fans should have been grateful to Sam Allardyce.
Well-known sports presenter Richard Keys has outlined on his website what has disappointed him about modern West Ham United fans.
Keys has criticised the West Ham supporters for not always backing Sam Allardyce, who is now in charge of the England national team.
Allardyce was the manager of the Hammers from the summer of 2011 until the end of the 2014-15 season.
During his time at the Boleyn Ground, the Englishman was often criticised by the fans for playing what they perceived to be dull football.
West Ham appointed Slaven Bilic in the summer of 2015, and the team played quite well last season.
However, at their new home, the London Stadium, the Hammers are struggling and find themselves third from bottom in the Premier League table at the moment.
Former Sky Sports presenter Keys has suggested that West Ham fans should have been grateful to Allardyce.
“What always disappointed me about the modern West Ham fan was how ungrateful he/she was to Big Sam,” Keys wrote on his website. “Hands up – Sam is a mate so of course I’ll defend him wherever and whenever I feel I have to.”
“Sam didn’t just save West Ham at the most needy point in their history, he first settled and then built the club back into a P Lge outfit,” added Keys. “Bilic has never been shy of making that point. Sam made last season possible.”
“Bilic, who I like enormously – he’s a real football man, both knew last season and knows now that there is no such thing as the ‘West Ham way’ anymore,” continued Keys.
“I pointed out last season, that before Christmas, the percentage of long balls West Ham played was up from 18% to 23%. Not my stats – Opta’s.”
Allardyce did a great job of making West Ham an established Premier League team, but he could not take the London club to the next level.
Bilic did that last season, as the Hammers came close to finishing in the top four of the Premier League.
True, the team are struggling at the moment, but one should not be surprised if results improve soon and West Ham end up in the top six this season.
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