Strange Days and the Sausage Factory Published 16/03/18 on Moore Than Just A Club
“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Is it any wonder that the West Ham masses have become a disillusioned lot of dissenters and pleaders? Each and every supporter would only wish good things for their club and hopes are eternal for those splendid performances and rib tickling triumphs that are so rarely delivered…however, how sweet they are when they finally arrive!
As the club launched into those very high brow emergency meetings with themselves and with the movers and shakers from the stadium, there is the dark cloud of FA sanctions and potential fines that will need to be addressed…and it does not look pretty for the faithful, the club or indeed those very few who ran onto the pitch on Saturday against Burnley.
Whilst internal investigations take place and no doubt the hundreds of camera angles are interrogated for incriminating evidence of protestors running onto the field, in spite of very clear signs at the corner flags to ‘Keep Off The Grass’, the FA have launched their own after receiving the referee’s match report too whilst being unable to escape the peaked enthusiasm of media outlets to report the occurrences.
Whilst the FA potentially may order West Ham to play one or more of the remaining home fixtures behind closed doors, they will also have to appease the landlords and tax payer who still seeks a return on the interests in revenues gained from over fifty thousand patrons spending their crusts on any crumbs returned.
Rumours have also begun circulating alleging any fines imposed upon the club will somehow be passed onto the few that ran onto the pitch, whilst also seeking to impose life bans to add insult to injury. Whilst their actions cannot be condoned in any manner, the club must also tread carefully in their race to burn the offenders at the stake. One can only assume the club is attempting to diffuse the attention gained by the FA and to fall within their good graces, however in doing so may alienate further the already ragged and enraged fanbase.
Whilst most would concur that any fan running onto the pitch should face sanctions and possibly even a ban from attending games at home of away…however to impose a life ban seems disproportionate for the offence. After all, their actions were not physical nor violent in any manner, albeit they did display a quick turn of pace and direction to evade the invisible day glow onlookers…something the team hasn’t been able to do for at least two seasons.
Unfortunately this investigation might well ignore the root causes and major failings of the club and the stadium, and merely focus on the actions at the time. There will not be considered understanding of provocation, passion and the right to protest…regardless of whether the fans were misguided at the time. It will not necessarily improve stewarding until the club take overall control of this absurdity and it will not account for two seasons of fans repeatedly reporting stewarding failures and inadequacies…and the club ignoring the situation.
To rub further sea salt in gaping wounds, the team jetted off for warm weather training in Florida this week and as photos have emerged of the team sunning themselves on the beach, much of the fanbase are asking whether any such training trip was warranted? Of course it suits its purpose; it is a team building exercise, it is a change of environment and the warm weather can be a valid tool in improving fitness, stamina and to reduce the risk of injury too…however it simply does not look good to the fans especially when the threat of financial ruin hangs over some of them.
Amongst the support, there are obvious divisions in opinion and allegiance, however there are few who would ignore that the club is currently in a calamitous mess and the ownership are not doing anything substantial to appease or unite fans. It would appear that no amount of contrition at this stage would alleviate tensions, no matter how much the club and players ask for fans to “Get behind the team!” There is no question that the team is on its knees at the moment and it needs every morsel of assistance to make it to the final fixture and save the season from relegation.
Fans may feel as if they and their opinions have been put through the meat grinder for too long. Chopped up, squished and squashed, bashed and boshed…and pushed into flaccid condoms, to be hung up and left out to dry in the cold. There has been a distinct lack of empathy from all quarters, however especially from the club and owners…whom many would assume would be the first to offer an outstretched hand. After all, the fans are regarded as less than supporters these days but more as customers…serfs to less than noble masters. However there has been little attention paid to customer satisfaction or consumer care, which one would assume would be at the forefront of their minds and intentions.
Whilst the threat of relegation is not a voyage into uncharted territory for the team and many of the fans in historical terms, there is the added malaise that has infected almost everyone associated with the club. There isn’t a simple band aid that would seal the deep laceration and fend off further infections, however the club and especially the owners must at least take stock of what is happening and apply the brakes to take the lead to heal all relationships.
Of course the fans will be urging the team onto victory in each and every confrontation until the last whilst blows at the end of the season…and beyond, wherever that may be. However, the true architects that would sure up the foundations of the club right now, are the players, management and coaching staff. If they can deliver committed performances from the remaining games, irrespective of final results, there might just be the tonic to see fevers recede and to hit the emergency stop on the meat grinders in these strange days and in the sausage factory.