Room for one Morrison?

It was the 6th of October 2013, we were 2-0 up and cruising at the Lane. Mo Diame gave the ball to Ravel Morrison just inside his own half.

As he took the ball in his stride with close control, jinked in between two Tottenham defenders, accelerated away with a turn of pace into the box, then deftly dinked the ball over the oncoming Lloris, I was open jawed.

The ball trickled in and Morrison wheeled away to celebrate. It drew comparisons immediately to an 18-year-old Michael Owen at the 1998 World Cup in France and the impact that goal had on the world.

I thought that was it; this was the point in this troubled youngster's career that highlights to everyone in England the potential this kid possesses. This is the goal that will prove that he is not just another over-hyped youngster and that the comparisons to a young Paul Scholes, by his former manager Alex Ferguson, were justified.

This was the coming of age, the day when he turned his life around, put all the troubles of the past behind him and realised he has a real shot at becoming a superstar! On that day, the kid had a real shot at being a wild card pick for the 2014 World Cup Finals.

Four days later, Morrison was in an England shirt scoring again - this time for the Under 21s. A video of an audacious volley scored in England training left me (and many others) salivating!

Fast forward to the present day and since then, Morrison has been involved in a half-hearted attempt at an on-pitch fight with Wilfred Zaha and had a couple of fall-outs with the manager. There have been pictures of him doing his best to pollute his lungs and another riding around in an open-top car wearing a rival's colours published in the papers.

Additionally there was a story linking him with a move to the doomed Fulham, which appeared to have been engineered by himself, his agent and René Meulensteen - something denied yet very, very suspicious. Oh - and a handful of deleted tweets criticising staff at the club.

Then there was a loan move to Queens Park Rangers in which Harry Redknapp, who has made a career of picking up cheap troubled footballers and turning seemingly-dead careers back into blossoming ones, has admitted that the kid is beyond help. Plus there was the small matter of an arrest on suspicion of domestic violence.

I cant help but to think that Ravel's skills clouded my judgement. His talent is undeniable, he is blessed, but unfortunately his attitude stinks to high heaven. He was a shining light at the beginning of last season, but a light always shines brightest in the dark.

This season a bunch of new signings have arrived, each shining as bright as the next, strengthening our squad in every department, and team spirit seems to be at an all time high. Could Ravel's style of play fit into our new found high tempo, attacking style of play?

Of course it could! His talent would shine once again, but sadly it's no coincidence that just as the new signings were arriving, Ravel was packing his bags for another stint in the Championship.

He is a bad apple and Big Sam, despite the owners backing the youngster, perhaps with the same clouded judgement as some of us fans had, recognises this and knew that West Ham is a better place without him around.

Sadly for Ravel - and even more so for his talent - I fear he has run out of chances at West Ham. He has overstepped the mark too many times for Big Sam's liking and with his contract rapidly coming to its end, unless a Christmas miracle occurs and he comes reborn as Mother Theresa, it will not be renewed.

It is with a heavy heart - and a huge slice of humble pie - that I agree that this would be best for all parties. Maybe he will get that move to Fulham after all...

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