A West Ham opinion on Roeder -

Spoke to a West Ham supporting mate about Roeder last week. Bob has been a s/t holder for 30 years, and has been to the equivalent of the Norwich SCG meetings, so his opinion of matters at Upton Park, and specifically Glen Roeder, are, I think worth something.

Bob though that Roeder was a decent manager, who did ok at West Ham. They finished well in his first season, and at the end of the that seaon Roeder went to the WHFC board with positions that he thought that needed strengthening, with a view to bringing in players in specific positions in the first team, not squad players. The two early season (2002/03) captures were Gary Breen and Cisse, with a number of squad players leaving the club.

In the 2002/03 relegation season both Kanoute and Di Canio, their first choice strikers both missed over half the season. In the transfer window Les Ferdinand, 36 at the time was the only forward acquired, together with Rufus Brevett, David Noble and Lee Bowyer coming in. My mate is convinced that a couple of better early season purchases would have made the difference, but Roeder got little or no support from the West Ham board.

On the debit side - he felt he held grudges with players for far too long (no examples remembered here sorry).

And also he tried to sign Didier Drogba, at the start of the 2002/03 - another request not backed by the West Ham board.

Posted By: KentonCanary, Nov 4, 09:16:18