The switch from East to West, symbolised by the potential replacement of West Ham United in the Premier League with Queens Park Rangers this summer, could be reversed by the usurping of Avram Grant’s Upton Park occupation by newly crowned Championship Champion Neil Warnock, according to reports surfacing in today’s tabloids.
At first glance, this story seems a non-starter. Warnock, having seen his side run amok this season and qualify for the top tier for the first time since 1994 at a canter, will surely be relishing another shot at the Premiership under the ownership of the world’s sixth richest man, Lakshmi Mittal, rather than planning for another bite at the Championship cherry within a West Ham structure where the owners refuse to follow the team away from home and that saw more worth in donating to charity than investing in the club last weekend.
However, upon closer inspection this would not represent the biggest shock even of this season, taking into account transfer deadline day for starters, let alone against the backdrop of career paths with as many twists and turns as those of Warnock and Grant.
Why, these are the men who have been responsible for evading censure from a spouse for frequenting a local brothel and for forging a genuine working relationship with ex-Crystal Palace Chairman Simon Jordan respectively. While one was laying the groundwork for landing one of this continent’s most sought-after jobs without so much as a European CV, the other was brawling on the sidelines with the former’s current assistant over allegations of encouraging his players to deliberately stamp on their opponents.
Nothing is ever…what it seems, clear-cut, certain in football etc. West Ham, faced with three eminently winnable games between now and the end of the season, may well yet avoid the dreaded drop while the Hoops, presented with one that could go either way against the FA this week, might still miss out on that longed-for leap into Premier League pomposity.
Whatever the outcome of these two very separate scenarios, two things are for sure. Firstly, it would come as no surprise to this blog whatsoever should both Messrs Warnock and Grant leave their posts and perhaps even trade mission statements during the post-season ruminations, at the behest of either or both of the parties involved.
Secondly, these two will never be unemployed for long either way, it seems, in the uniquely comical world in which they work. “This is football”, as Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti remarked after Saturday’s disease-ridden refereeing display at Stamford Bridge; words eerily reminiscent of a certain predecessor who made a habit of coming second right at the death. Across West London, I’m sure second would do just fine for Warnock, but will it be enough of a punishment for the powers that be, and will this dishevel the shape of London’s footballing landscape for another season at least?
No comments:
Post a Comment