Green Street Hammers
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Hammertime: Seeking Identity.

By Barrett Rouen

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Dimitri Payet of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park on October 30, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 30: Dimitri Payet of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park on October 30, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images) /
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This season has not been a good one so far.  In fact, it could be described as truly terrible.  West Ham have a lot to improve on the field.  However they need to look inward at the problems coming from inside first.  

West Ham supporters deserve better. Sure, the behavior this season hasn’t exactly been sterling. But they were promised something different than what they have received so far this season. For a club with the ambition that West Ham showed in the off-season they have not matched it even slightly on the pitch. The record transfer of Ayew as well as addition of Zaza hasn’t paid off and other signings don’t appear to have bedded in very well either.

West Ham need to get something out of this season. The public relations catastrophe that the move to the London Stadium is turning into cannot be overstated. Besides recent mistakes with seating the violence and underperforming team have all been problematic. In sports if one thing is true it’s that winning solves everything. If the product on the field improves I am certain that things around the club will improve as well.

The supporter violence needs to stop. Big clubs simply don’t struggle with this problem. Millwall had a major issue with fan violence and look where they are. It isn’t that the violence directly relates to performances deteriorating and it is absolutely important fans let the players know how they feel. They’re paying customers after all. You’d send back an omelet that came out charred black wouldn’t you?

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Essentially what the violence does though is drive away revenue and hurt the clubs reputation. What West Ham is, is a business. It’s something people relate to emotionally and care about deeply. But in the end it is a business. Players and managers and staff need to get paid. Without them the club ceases to exist. How do those people get paid? Sponsorship deals and marketing.

Manchester United are not the most successful club in the history of English football by accident. It’s not something in the water up north. It’s clout. They were able to build a successful football brand on the back of successful on field performances. Once that happened things began to snowball. Success breeds success. When you win, you make more money. When you make more money you attract better talent. Then you attract better talent you win more. When you win more you make more money. It is very simple.

Fan violence hurts that reputation. Companies like Coca-Cola, Hasbro and Chevrolet are not going to invest in a club that makes them look bad. Fan violence in the news makes them look bad. It is understandable. The performances on the field this year have been sickening. Madness inducing even. But violence is not the answer. Be upset, fine. But keep your hands to yourself this isn’t grammar school.

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West Ham’s players need to show some heart. Every single one of the poor performances so far this season has been the same. The players seem to lack belief and resolve. When a team is playing well they believe they can turn things around, they trust one another and their talents and club. When things are going poorly the finger pointing starts. That is the beginning of the end.

As a club, West Ham needs to show some solidarity. The players and staff and supporters need to pull together. Be the change they want to see. They need to turn the London stadium into the home that Upton Park was. It’s not going away. It’s the future. Adapt or die. Change is the only constant in life and looking backwards is for fools. Sure Upton Park was nice now though it is nothing more than a future apartment block so forget it. West Ham were good last year. Forget it. They’re terrible this year. Get behind them. Sing louder, don’t blame other clubs for their good times. This is sport. West Ham need to build an identity and find a way to win soon. They’re big enough to be a force in football but the first thing that they need is an identity again.