The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

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Do you believe that the current Board will deliver regular European football within five years?

Yes
52
10%
No
412
82%
Unsure
39
8%
 
Total votes: 503

Billzo
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Billzo »

I voted no but feel the question is always going to produce a negative result. Had the question been do you think we could achieve regular European football I would have said yes, it is certainly possible under our board and following the stadium move. Do I believe we will? I think most have followed West Ham long enough on here to be eternally pessimistic of our fortunes so will always be a no!
PC Hammer
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by PC Hammer »

Our history tells us we are just about a top 10 club with the chance of glory via the FA or League Cup competitions putting us then into Europe. (Forget the fair play route - that has gone). The very occasional top 5 finish in the league has been our best and nothing more. 16/17 - 7th, 01/02 - 5th, 1985/86 - 3rd. There is not enough consistency here to suggest West Ham are a force to be reckoned with in the league.

To qualify for Europe via the league or cup route on a regular basis HAS to see the board invest heavily in the playing staff. This is the model followed by Arsenal, Manchester City / United, Chelsea, Liverpool and lately Spurs. Everton flirt with this model while Southampton have their own in-house set up which is proving moderately successful for Europe.

Leicester are the trend buckers and show that a team from outside the big power players can do something. All credit to them for last season and their Champions League campaign so far but the possibility of further European football for them is not guaranteed.

The board sold the fans the ideal that move to the OS was vital for the team to be glorious. While that may carry some weight it is clear, unless we go for it in the cup competitions or do a Leicester, the only way European football may be at the OS is to match the big spenders with hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in new players / wages. We may then have a good chance to win a cup or finish high enough in the league so we qualify automatically or get a Europa league spot due to teams above us winning multiple trophies.

Last summers recruitment was woeful. After such a wonderful season and the lure of the OS we ended up with not one player who has improved our first team.

For all the promise of what the OS will do for our club unless it is matched with massive investment we may as well have remained at the BG and redeveloped the East Stand. Granted that cannot happen now but this was the fundamental basis of the counter argument to the move. We have no major history of success and footballing success is where the global appeal and stock of the teams noted above except Leicester and Southampton lie.

West Ham have to start winning cup competitions NOW and competing EVERY SEASON in at least the top 6-8 to have any hope of making the move to the OS live up to anything like the expectations we have been led to believe.

Mr.Gold and Mr. Sullivan - cheque book out please gentlemen.
Last edited by PC Hammer on Fri Dec 16, 2016 6:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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whuzak
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by whuzak »

PC Hammer wrote:Our history tells us ....
Bang on. If they don't want to put the money in then let someone else do so. Another year of our football watching life passes by and we're stuck watching the same old :thdn: . Last season should of been the catalyst for the big bucks with the OS looming.
Last edited by Up the Junction on Tue Dec 13, 2016 11:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Large quote removed.
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Claretandblueyank
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Claretandblueyank »

Hope I'm not out of order in suggesting this, but I think we need questions that get to heart of the matter. Though I see the value in running a number of question that address particular promises/forecasts.


"Do you regret moving to OS"?

"Hypothetically, if there was a chance to move back to BG, would you take it?"

"Do you feel that the ground has met expectations set by board in justifying the move?"

"Do you feel that fans were properly polled/consulted about move?"

"Do you feel that the board could do more to improve experience?"

"Do you think board have treated the fans properly since move?"

Do you think Karen Brady should resign?"
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The Old Man of Storr
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by The Old Man of Storr »

I voted ' Yes ' -

However , for that to happen , the wording of the Poll would have to be altered to ' Do I believe that the current Board will deliver regular European Football AFTER 4 seasons of playing at The London Stadium ' as the way the question is worded ' regular European Football ' would have to be achieved after just 3 seasons of playing at the LS [ presuming 2 seasons of European Football could be referred to as ' regular ' ] .

I believe it's possible for this current Board to deliver regular European Football after playing at the London Stadium for 4 seasons , perhaps 5 .
Season 1 was a learning curve for not only The Board but the Supporters , there's still a chance we could finish midtable - 8th if two or three astute signings are made .
Season 2 - will be spent building on Season 1 .
Season 3 - will be like the first season proper with all the errors of season 1 ironed out .
Season 4 - we will qualify for an European Competition .
Season 5 - we will be playing in an European competition while also finishing in Top 6 .
Season 6 - Regular European Football is achieved . :)

Good Luck , Daves - and don't forget who put his faith in you [ a Box for 6 people will be sufficient reward ] .
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Mega Ron
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Mega Ron »

I'll have some of what you're smoking Tomos.
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e17
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by e17 »

West Ham United is too big for Gold & Sullivan
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Adam 'The Smudge'
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Adam 'The Smudge' »

They're pathetic. Like used car salesmen.
'Lovely motor, good runner got another 100k on it easy'. DS
'What about the sills, they look rusty?' us.'
'Lovely motor, good runner got another 100k on it easy'. DS
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Jeffcoate321
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Jeffcoate321 »

Agree with another poster, the wording of the poll is set up for them to look bad (they do that enough themselves)

it depends what you class as "regular". if its 3+ years, then they have to achieve that by the end of 2 years effectively. I don't see us qualifying for Europe next season and then doing so continually from then.

I also don't think we are guaranteed European football unless we become Arsenal or City, but in the next 5 years I think we will qualify for Europe another 2 times. Albeit maybe at the same level we did this year (qualifying rounds if that counts).
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Jeffcoate321
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Jeffcoate321 »

Also, I don't think the stadium has much pull, especially after the poor press we have received. For us to progess, as well as new ownership, we need to upgrade the playing staff

There are 3 reasons why a decent player would join us.

1. Money
2. Recent success/Status in Premier League.
3. Current staff. Players will want to play alongside other top players like Payet for example, or under a top manager.
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WoodfordJnr
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by WoodfordJnr »

^^

The main reason is people moving for money. Nothing else.

Nobody really cares anymore, For example if a club wants to keep a player what do they do .. pay them more.

Dont think it has anything to do with recent success otherwise players would of been flooding to Leicester
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WoodfordJnr
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by WoodfordJnr »

To back this... Chelsea and Man City ... would they have attracted anyone if they wernt owned by billionaires?
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Jeffcoate321
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Jeffcoate321 »

No, thus I put money number one. but in certain scenarios players may want a little bit more than money.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is getting paid a massive wedge, but made it clear that he wouldn't have gone to Man Utd if it weren't for Mourinho.
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WoodfordJnr
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by WoodfordJnr »

Or the Fact that he wanted to win the League in every good league?
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Al
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Al »

Lets face it we are not owned by oil rich Sheikhs with deep pockets, but we shouldn't expect to be.

We're not going to have the spending power of Man City, Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool, etc any time soon so a top 5 finish has got to be an unrealistic ambition.

Play with spirit, match the likes of Liverpool as we have recently and lets see who we can beat on our day. Perhaps we can hope for a gradual increase in our profile, fan base and income over time with the new stadium but lets be clear - challenging the billionaire owners has still got to be beyond us.
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IronworksDave
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by IronworksDave »

A lot of posters here believe that a benevolent millionaire will somehow make all the difference, now whilst that was the case for Chelski and in a lesser extent for City, the introduction of FFP (even with all the loopholes) now makes that far more difficult ....

New owners could 'fix' the stadium, 'fix' the training ground, appoint a 'famous' manager and that would all attract decent players, they could sanction big transfers and higher salaries, but at the end of the season they, like every other club, would still need to comply with FFP ....

The reason there are a 'big' four and now perhaps a 'big' six is that City, Utd, Arsenal and Chelski all generate over 300m of income, Liverpool are at 298m but will top that this year with their new stand ... the Spuds are next on 195m but hope to see a 100m+ jump when their new ground / sponsorship / naming rights kick in in 2018 ....

Behind these six come next Everton 125m and then us on 124m ...

In order for us to truly compete we would need to triple our income ... now if the OC was a fantastic, state of the art, 'iconic' footballing venue that might be possible ... but to transfom it into that will cost a fortune, the Dave's don't have the cash .... any new owner would know that the best he could hope to achieve was to turn the 'big' six into a 'big' seven ... is there anyone seriously willing to take that gamble?
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kitthehammer
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by kitthehammer »

My argument would be that we've already had european football and have not been bothered about staying in it. Mind you i do also question whether we are bothered about staying in the domestic cups either.
The be all and end all is staying in the prem, to any club not just ours, so again this just seems like yet another opportunity for those who want to have a go at the board to do so. Tired of it, unite and get behind the club, whether it's players, board, whoever.
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1860OnceMoore
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by 1860OnceMoore »

An absolute massive NO from me!

The spunk brothers are milking the tit of the OS move and doing what they consider the bare minimum to keep us in the Premier League! TBH on the last few months they may have ****ed this up by their poor summer transfer window!

Time will tell! But I believe if any gets near their valuation of the club they will take the money and run, I believe even they are starting to realise that the "worm has turned" and "flim-flamming" the fans is getting to a point where they cried wolf just once too often for us to believe their propaganda
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Rays Rock
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Rays Rock »

With the top 4 places nigh on sewn up or the next decade barring the odd freak season, I don't see this as a particularly pertinent question. Although it is a measure of a successful season , european football bores me rigid until the semi final stage, so don't particularly crave it anyway.
I suppose the caveat to the question should be whether people expect a seriously rich owner to takeover the club within 5 years. This would be the only way to elbow our way into a regular top 6 spot within a short time frame.
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Rocketron
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Re: The Olympic/London Stadium: Poll #2

Post by Rocketron »

"European Football" doesn't mean Top Four.
I vote "Yes"
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