Judas, Judas go out the cries every time Paul Ince shows his face at Upton Park. Those photos in a Man United shirt ahead of his transfer in the dim and distant past have made him a hate figure at the club for whom he signed at 12 and where he enjoyed a heroic career. Ince was a lifelong West Ham supporter and other photos seem to have emerged showing him drinking from a West Ham mug years after he left the club. It seems as if, despite it all, he has a soft spot in his heart for the club and that “that photo” was a youthful error and the fault of his grubby agent. I can believe it – soccer agents are lowlife and most football players are borderline thick/naive.
As such I cannot really feel any bitterness towards Ince and would hope that one day he comes back to Upton Park and is appreciated for what he did for West Ham not abused for the manner of his leaving.
The sins of the father were, at Wembley visited upon his son Tom who plays for Blackpool and who received a predictable reception from some West Ham supporters. I saw Ince younger ( who is rumoured to have been brought up by his Dad to support West Ham) on the TV several times last season and he looks superb. He is just the sort of player we would love, ceteris paribus, to see wearing claret and blue. Ince playing behind Vaz Te and Carlton Cole would surely be enough to see West Ham stay up, on the basis that the defence does not allow too many goals to be conceded. Ince has said that he will stay at Blackpool but I am sure if “The Guv’nor” had a word in his ear he would move and I would be thrilled were he to join West Ham.
I am not universally forgiving. Whilst I would be delighted if Joe Cole returned any signing of Jermaine Defoe would be a step too far. And as for Fat Frank Lampard….
Having committed West Ham heresy by saying pleasant things about the Ince family I will go one step further and say how pleased I am that Robert Green is leaving this summer. Green has been a great servant of West Ham and for that we are all grateful. I look forward to applauding him as he steps out – for whoever – at Upton Park next year. But a) he wanted to leave because WH would not meet his greedy wage demands and b) after that world cup incident he has just not been as good as he was. And having a goalie who is not always 100% reliable unsettles a defence. Green made some great saves last season, saving West Ham valuable points. But he also suffered howlers and cost us points.
West Ham’s back line needs strengthening in the summer but it should be solid enough if it has behind it some who game in game out can be relied upon as a safe pair of hands. Rob Green, for whatever reason, is no longer that man in my book. I wish him all the best but am not upset that he has gone.
The fixture list is now out. I know West Ham are not a brilliant team but looking at the first six games they all look ones that could be won. There are enough mediocre teams in the Premiership (Villa, Swansea, Fulham, Norwich, Sunderland, QPR – the first six opponents – plus Reading, Southampton, Wigan, Stoke ( sorry David Rowley, see you at Upton Park on 17th November) and West Brom) that survival is more than possible. Real Man Pizza Company has renewed its three season tickets and this blog will occasionally be offering up a spare seat to readers.
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