West Ham fans have been called many things down the years and some of it is justified but Julen Lopetegui has just learned something about them.
Demanding, fickle, deluded, unrealistic, entitled – just a few words used disparagingly about West Ham United supporters in the mainstream football media.
West Ham fans turn up week in, week out home and away in massive numbers through thick and thin.
And they had done so for over 40 years without seeing their team win a major trophy until last summer.
The Hammers faithful are often belittled by the press and rival fans for being so demanding and wanting the team to play ‘the West Ham way’.
The inference from those who dismiss the West Ham way as a fallacy – a group which now rather disappointingly includes former boss David Moyes – is that it is Barcelona-esque tika taka football.
And that while fans of clubs like Liverpool and Celtic and even nowadays Spurs, Brighton and Bournemouth are perfectly entitled to expect a certain type of football, West Ham’s are not.
In reality it only demonstrates a lack of knowledge about the club ethos which was cemented into West Ham’s history by the likes of Ron Greenwood and John Lyall.
It’s not about pretty football and a preference for attacking football even if it means losing 4-3.
And it’s not just about going around smashing into people either.
The West Ham way goes a bit deeper than that.
Lopetegui learns valuable lesson about West Ham fans
You have to be a good footballer to play for West Ham. You have to be the right character. So does the manager.
West Ham expect their players to have a go, that’s what we pay money our money for.
But what are you like on the ball and what are you like when we’re not happy, when the chips are down?
Do you still have the cajones to go and get the ball, to keep showing for it.
Mark Noble wasn’t the worst footballer around, far from it. But he wasn’t the best either. The reason is was so well loved at West Ham, he never hid. When the going got tough, Noble got going.
Just take a look at West Ham’s list of legends – the same is true of each and every one of them.
West Ham United fans are knowledgeable.
And the penny may finally have dropped about all of the above for the club’s under pressure head coach.
Julen Lopetegui learned a valuable lesson about West Ham fans he’ll never forget in the win over Man United.
Fans have been underwhelmed by Lopetegui thus far.
At other clubs most supporters would have turned on the manager by now.
Most West Ham fans have been sensible enough to keep their counsel, though.
But ask any former Hammers player or manager and they’ll tell you – the fans are not shy in making their feelings clear.
Ahead of the game with Manchester United supporters believed their continual pleas to see Crysencio Summerville get his chance would be answered.
With Mohammed Kudus suspended it was a near certainty.
Supporters were aghast when the former Leeds man was named on the bench.
And when West Ham put in another dismal first half performance, supporters let the manager know.
Fans have been baffled as to why Summerville has had such little game time since his £26m move.
Every time he’s stepped on the pitch he has ben among the best players.
Yet come kick-off against Man United he was picking up splinters yet again.
Hammers fans were angry. With the team fortunate not to be at least 3-0 down at half-time, they let Lopetegui know.
To the Spaniard’s great credit, though, he finally listened to the fans.
On came Summerville – off went Lucas Paqueta – another fans have felt needed to be dropped for some time.
It was chalk and cheese first to second half.
Win vital for bond between West Ham fans and Lopetegui
Electric Summerville lit up the game, West Ham got on the front foot and guess what? The crowd responded.
The drab atmosphere was transformed, the crowd feeding off the fact Lopetegui showed some guts to make three half-time changes, to admit he’d got it wrong.
Summerville got a goal he richly deserved and West Ham got a slice of luck they were due too with the late penalty awarded by VAR intervention.
Ultimate vindication for Hammers fans arrived near the final whistle as the man of the match was announced over the loud speaker. Crysencio Summerville. Enough said.
This win is so important for West Ham and Lopetegui.
But it’s about much more than three points.
Lopetegui learned West Ham fans really do know their football.
He learned that supporters appreciate being heard and they appreciate someone who can recognise when he’s made a mistake and does something to try and rectify it.
The manager also learned just how influential the home crowd can be when they feel connected and involved.
This win has done much more than bump the Hammers up the fledgling table a couple of places.
It’s forged a mutual appreciation between the manager and the supporters.
Now Lopetegui must run with it.
Because once West Ham get going and everyone is one the same page, they can be a juggernaut.
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