Are West Ham now bitter towards Sunderland?
After the Black Cats put in a tremendous second half performance against the Hammers over the past weekend to gain a point, recent events would suggest that West Ham, in particular Steve Clarke are trying to disguise that disappointment, as really they should have held on to win that game.
I say this after Clarke has replied to Steve Bruce's post match interview with a load of rubbish. After the match the Sunderland manager questioned the West Ham defender Herita Ilunga, when he fell to the ground dramatically following a push by Kenwyne Jones. Bruce said "'why does he need to roll around like that?"
He then referred to some players as pansies and play acting in order to influence the referee. I agree with this, too many times, too many players go over easily and look to get the opposition into trouble. Diving and rolling around after a challenge is not acceptable. A lot of players (and I include past and present Sunderland players) need to learn what sportsmanship is.
However these sort of problems will carry on to occur if players think that they can get away with it and gain their team an advantage, as officials, fans, players and managers need to stand up and address the situation.
Steve Clarke has done the complete opposite by protecting Ilunga insisting that there was no over reaction, whilst questioning Bruce's comments.
Clarke said "I find it incredible that the player who was the victim is the person that everybody is talking about. You have to correct me, tell me what Ilunga did wrong? Someone pushed him in the face, he's just recently recovered from a triple fracture to the jaw, maybe he thought there was a punch coming."
"I find it incredible that we're sitting here speaking about our player who was the victim, this is wrong. It's completely wrong. He's a big boy Kenwyne Jones, he's a very big boy. He had to look after himself."
"I find it incredible that he (Bruce) gets so much time, so much airtime if he wants to speak about people from the opposition."
I agree that Jones should have been sent off and I agree with Bruce. But perhaps Steve Clarke and West Ham are just bitter towards the mackems, after it was revealed today that former Hammers boss Alan Curbishley won his case against the former club for constructive dismissal, remember that occurred when the club sold defenders Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney without his permission to of course Sunderland AFC.
Quotes taken from www.skysports.com
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