Seasoned sports journalist, and Beesotted regular contributor, Jim Levack, defends Brentford’s “team of cheats” after another entitled and hypocritical attack on Thomas Frank’s side.
“He would have been absolutely perfect for the Hammers”, “30-goal striker on Hammers’ radar”, “Deal more likely after Winston Reid loan”.
It must be tough keeping the content flowing on a tabloid format website like Hammers News so even the slightest angle is going to get followed up and as we say in the trade ’jacked up’.
The three naïve headlines related to Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney rely on a child-like view of the way football works… or more accurately the hope that their readers are gullible fools.
Previously I’ve had a chuckle at some of their fanciful teasers, the latest of which is a swipe at David Moyes’s failure to rush out and sign free-scoring striker Daryl Dike.
The “he would have been absolutely perfect for the Hammers” header trotted out again, just as it was for Ollie and Co.
I know I shouldn’t rise to it – these guys rely on clicks after all – but the piece penned by Damien Lucas was frankly one of the most pathetic rants I’ve ever read from a supposed journalistic colleague.
First the headline – Brentford a breath of fresh air? They stank the place out with time-wasting tactics that belong in the dark ages to get West Ham win.
If that wasn’t bad enough it was followed by an emotional diatribe accusing Brentford of ‘time -wasting tactics, playacting and adopting a dinosaur Sam Allardyce approach to the game’.
It was jaw-dropping, spiteful stuff and there, tucked away near the end, the words “this is not sour grapes”. Sorry Damien but that’s exactly what it was.
The author, who felt his beloved Irons were “wronged by a team of cheats”, sprinkled in a bit of hypocrisy too for good measure.
“Even Mathias Jorgensen’s disrespectful run-in with David Moyes left a sour taste in the mouth. A manager approaching his 1,000th match being taunted and abused by a footballing no mark,” he went on.
Would that be the very same manager Damien’s website repeatedly pilloried by Hammers News for failing to buy X or Y after every transfer window? Pretty disrespectful to a manager approaching his 1,000th match.
Oh, and for the record you don’t rack up hundreds of appearances for some of the best clubs on the continent and your country if you’re a no mark.
I once worked with a superb sports reporter called Ken Dyer on my first evening paper many years ago, and he was and quite rightly still is regarded as one of the best journos to tread West Ham’s corridors. I suggest Damien should look to him and then in the mirror for the definition of a no mark.
For the record, I wasn’t fortunate enough to be at the London Stadium after succumbing to Covid but it offered me an opportunity to watch the game dispassionately (until the 94th minute).
To my mind it was a near perfect away performance. We hit the bar (Damien glossed over that), could have been three up inside 10 minutes (Damien lost his notebook for that bit) and were brave beyond belief.
There were one or two rhythm-breaking moments but show me a side that doesn’t do that when they’re winning away.
Brentford were superb, full of energy, pressed high and cut through the lines of a good side with panache at the right times… then pounced when West Ham had no time to respond.
Word of warning. Don’t bother reading the guff on Hammers News because you’ll only boost Damien’s click rate.
Instead just read some of the match reports and remember the effusive praise of Alan Shearer for the Bees’ bravery even in the dying embers of the game.
Presumably though, in Damien’s eyes, he’s just another no mark.
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100% spot-on Jim, I read the salty, bitter and sour article too, penned by a no mark troll. I fancy he was one of the Neanderthals who were on the border between home and away fans in the lower tier, behind the goal. These throw-backs, who chose their seats based on being within abusing range of visiting supporters, who have no choice in seat allocation. It was, however, quite funny to see the sad fashion victims in their branded matchwear and Peaky Blinder caps, try and bait a largely (and with great respect) older and grey haired, disinterested and bemused set of Bees fans. They spent 90% of the time not watching the game and were largely ‘fire drilling’ ten minutes before the end.
We largely outplayed the Hammers in the first half and defended deep but with a calm and maturity we have rapidly acquired since the season’s start.
You’re right, the article is no more than sad clickbait and copy and paste opinions from Wolves soul mates.
U Bees
An apology to all West Ham Fans.
On behalf of Brentford FC fans I would like to apologise to those kind and generous supporters of WHU that I found myself in the company of on Sunday afternoon. It was shockingly disrespectful of our tin pot team team to steal three points that were rightfully theirs as gods of the game. To add insult to injury the theft was carried out by highly dubious tactics, namely putting the ball in the net more times than they did. I must compliment the home fans on their witty and original repartee; examples ‘your fans are ‘s**t’ or ‘come here and I will smash your face in’ was a joy to the ear. Their friendly waving of fists and fingers as they tried to get closer to give us a cuddle was a fine example of camaraderie in the game. As for their generosity it knew no bounds as they shared their food and drink with us. Perhaps it would have been better to hand it to us via the stewards rather than hurl it across the divide. The can of Maiibu unfortunately rather splashed everywhere as it hit my neighbour and the pie and chips did not survive the journey well either. However, it was kind of the stewards to turn the other cheek rather than quell their enthusiasm. We can but say sorry that we spoiled their day.
Older grey and respectful supporter.
Good response. Brentford are getting up peoples noses because so many people, other PL clubs, experts, etc see Brentford last as Thomas Frank said from time to time, Brentford are just a bus stop on Hounslow, or similar words. Those experts and teams being beaten by, or not winning against Brentford are probably amongst the group that were predicting immediate relegation this season.
Rather than admit publicly they were wrong they try to justify that Brentford’s success is due o cheating or something similar. The ‘luck’ excuse will probably rolled out soon as well.
What a shocking affront to all those existing PL snobs and their entourage of supporters, journos, etc, for a club such as Brentford to outthink, out perform and outsmart the established comfortable order by daring to challenge – and worse still dare to win and be financially successful. Recruit to a better standard that those clubs or benefactors with fat cheque books and still be a community based club.
those critics had better get used to the new order because Brentford will continue and will be (if not already are) part of the new order of the powerhouse teams in the PL.
You are the man with the ‘golden pen’ jim, so continue to call out those critics who are a little too loose with their disposable pens.
I am old enough to remember watching Liverpool as a second division team, likewise West Ham, Peston challenging Wolves for the First Division Title, Manchester United relegated to Division 2 and so many other changes. Life is not static,, the better teams win, the poorer teams lose. Brentford are 7th, there are currently only 6 clubs performing to a better standard than Brentford. Isn’t that just great.