Does the face of Big Sam fit West Ham’s future?

To answer the question set in the headline of this article as abruptly as possible: No.

Sam Allardyce was, despite what many may think, the right man for the West Ham United job when the club came calling in the summer of 2011.

Having slipped back down into the Championship, the appointment of a proven Premier League manager could have been considered quite a coup.

The Hammers needed a no-nonsense figure at the helm to light a fire under them and get them pulling in the right direction.
Allardyce did just that, by hook or by crook, with promotion secured at the first time of asking via the best possible route – a day out at Wembley in the play-off final.

The football may not have been pretty, but a first tick had been put in the box and West Ham were back where they belong.

They then set about ensuring that they would stay there, with plenty of experience added to the ranks in 2012.

Again, greater emphasis appeared to be placed on substance over style, with Upton Park welcoming the likes of Mohamed Diame, Alou Diarra, James Collins and Andy Carroll.

Allardyce was, however, able to get the job done once more, with consolidation secured among English football’s elite.

Having been handed a two-year contract upon his arrival, Big Sam had done everything expected of him – often in the face of criticism from restless East End natives.

Perhaps he should have been shaken by the hand at that stage and sent on his way. It would, however, have been harsh on a man who had turned fortunes around to usher him out of the back door and rid him of the opportunity to kick on.

As it happens, Allardyce finally sought to embrace the West Ham way of thinking in his third pre-season, with exciting match-winners snapped up to complement the sprinkling of creativity he already had at his disposal.

Things started well enough, with whispers of a top-four challenge doing the rounds at one stage as football betting markets / punters began to sit up and take notice, but those who are forever blowing bubbles have seen a fair few burst since Christmas.

In that time, just one Premier League victory has been secured from 11 top-flight outings – and that came against struggling Hull City, hardly a feather in the cap of a boss under pressure.

With that in mind, and with Allardyce’s 12-month deal running down, it is decision time again for Messrs Gold and Sullivan and members of the Upton Park board.

You get the feeling that this time around tough calls will be made. There is little room for sentiment in football and the Hammers – as an improving and forward-thinking club – know they have to move with the times.

They are entering an important, and exciting, period in their history, with a move to the Olympic Stadium due to be made in 2016.

West Ham will want to arrive in their new home as tenants deserving of such illustrious surroundings and one capable of putting 54,000 bums on seats. They will be part of a ‘legacy’ and must ensure that the spirit of 2012 lives on through their performances at an iconic venue.

Unfortunately for Allardyce, it is difficult to see how he fits into this picture.

He has done the hard work, and fair play to him for that. But having helped to put the pieces back together and make West Ham an attractive proposition to stars on the global stage, it may be time for someone else – someone whose philosophies sit more in line with those at the Academy of Football – to pick up the torch and carry it back to Stratford. Sorry, Sam.