Brown: Roeder's going nowhere

  • by Graeme Howlett
  • Friday, 18th October 2002

Hammers Chairman Terry Brown has denied reports that the club are seeking to replace present managerial incumbent Glenn Roeder, after the club's worst ever start to a Premiership season.

Brown, who took the unusual step of speaking to the London Standard today denied reports that Roeder was about to face the axe - confirming instead that he and the board remained fully supportive of the under-fire boss.

The normally publicity shy Chairman told the Standard:

"Glenn is a top class coach, and we have excellent skills at all levels. The club has five players who would not disgrace England and international players in all positions.

"He also inherited players that did not fit into his long-term plans but, because of the depressed state of the transfer market, had to be retained at enormously high salaries without ever featuring regularly in the first team.

"These factors may not always be immediately apparent to supporters who understandably become very frustrated when the results do not go according to plan but they are, of course, very apparent to me.

"I have no doubt that we have the management to lead the team out of these present problems."

Interestingly Brown also admitted that the club's current problems had been exacerbated by a lack of investment in the squad.

"I have to be aware that Glenn is manager during a time when we need to show financial caution and that he does not have the funds that have been made available to previous managers," added Brown.

"However had we beaten Birmingham City instead of losing we could have been 15th in the Premiership and on the way to our fifth top-half finish in the last six seasons. But we lost, we're bottom of the table and it seems panic has set in.

"But I'm more optimistic than ever that we'll reach our goals. It's far too soon for me to panic."

Brown's admission - for the first time publicly - that there has been under-investment in the squad comes as a welcome breath of fresh air, from a regime not previously noted for its openness with the media.

One hopes it is the start of things to come; communication between the club and its supporters has been sadly lacking in the past and a more relaxed, open attitude from the board can only serve to strengthen relations between the club and its supporters.

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