Curbs curses rough justice

West Ham boss demands more support from officials

By Chris Harvey   Last updated: 12th April 2008

Anton Ferdinand crocked Bolton v West Ham

Crocked: Anton Ferdinand's second minute injury did not help West Ham's cause

Whenever you play Bolton it's difficult, you complain to officials but it falls on deaf ears. I'm disappointed with a few things.

Alan Curbishley
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West Ham manager Alan Curbishley felt his side received very little help from the referee during the 1-0 defeat at Bolton.

In spite of Bolton having two goals disallowed, the Hammers' boss felt official Peter Walton let Wanderers impose their physical style on the contest.

The visitors endured a torrid afternoon against Kevin Davies as they went down to another away defeat.

"It's a difficult game when you come here (to the Reebok). All you ask for is a bit of protection but we didn't get a lot," said Curbishley.

"Whenever you play Bolton it's difficult; you complain to officials but it falls on deaf ears. I'm disappointed with a few things.

"You know what to expect when you come. They work hard here but they get away with professional things that we all see but referees don't.

"Referees have it difficult when you play Bolton; there's lots of physical contact. Referees, when they do their homework, need to have a look at one or two things.

Protection

"That said you've got to play against it and it is Bolton that have got the three points. I've no complaints about their effort but the referees don't give us enough protection.

"We were second best in the first half and Bolton played to their strengths and we struggled to compete with it."

The visitors' cause was not helped by the second-minute loss of centre-back Anton Ferdinand with a hamstring injury.

"Anton's a bit sore at the moment. Obviously it was a bit of a blow for us so early on in the game," Curbishley said.

"We have been a bit patched up for most of the season and we've come here a bit patched up again and we have just got to get on with it.

"You come here, you know what to expect and with him going off we had to reshuffle and Bolton put in a terrific effort in the first 46 minutes.

"I have not seen a team work so hard. They put us under an awful lot of pressure."

Comments

Richard Harvey says...

Curbs should not be sacked ...because last season he has just came in football again he was missing 4 a while and managed to just keep us up and then now he has to pick him self up and reconise the game more...for me i would say mid way through next season..if he is doing crap ..then we should consider it and maybe bring in billic as manager and di canio helping strikers out but so far curbs is not thick he does relise that the fans dont want a charlton mid table all the time and he knows what the fans expect and especially being a hammer himself .. it dont taking alot of working out now does it .

Posted 01:02 15th April 2008

Jack Russell says...

Gents, This is not a time for blame or calling for change. We need to show stability and encourage all members of the playing and non-playing staff. We need to be United in what we do. We should not look at the last couple of months and think that the seaon has been a disaster. It has not. Yes, we all want to finish higher in the league and challenge for cups but we cannot help some things. It takes time to build teams capable of challenging for trophies. We will not acquire all the players we need in one season. The foundations are strong and we have talented players at the club. With a few choice acquisitions I know that next seaon will be better, but we need to stick together.!

Posted 13:58 14th April 2008

Lance Turk says...

We all know supporting West Ham is going to be a rough ride, but Curbs is in this for the love of the club aswell and we can`t expect him to put everything right in the first season. However, we do need to attract a couple of players with the ability to open up defences , otherwise next season may well be a relegation battle again.

Posted 10:29 14th April 2008

Richard Pollitt says...

Curbs did well to keep us in the Premiership last season,we should go for Mourinho and let him show what Chelsea have missed out on.

Posted 08:53 14th April 2008

Alfred Beaumont says...

Let's be fair to Curbs. He needs time. WH is not Charlton and he knows a mid-table existence is no longer acceptable. He is very much respected for his ideas and tactics - why would he have been amongst the few English managers most referred to before the choice of Sven Ericksson for the England job? The new owners need to put their pockets where their mouths are for Curbs to buy "real" players instead of the half-drained, half-baked and half-withered players the team has been bundled with. Have a good look at Everton, Villa and Blackburn and you can see what good and wise investment really means....

Posted 08:14 14th April 2008

Des Edwards says...

As soon as Alan Curbishley was announced as the manager I said straight away he was a mid table manager and he has proved it all season. Im sick of hearing his complaints and excuses of the injuries and officials. Big names are needed at West Ham but what is there to attract them, certainly not a successful manager!

Posted 07:05 14th April 2008

Tremayne Ancrum says...

I would love to see Dyer and Bellamy once fit again. I'm not sold on Parker or Quashie, and Cole and Boa Morte always seem to be just one step slow. Curbs will have to put it all together next season and generate some offense or else he'll be gone.

Posted 04:31 14th April 2008

Nathan Howe says...

Curbs needs to stop talking about injuries, yes we should have done better with them, but every club has injuries... maybe time for bilic to come in after euro 2008? i do hope so.

Posted 11:51 13th April 2008

Greg Byrne says...

Its time to make some big signings, the new beginning that was so proudly announces hasn't come. We have had some very poor performances this season, next year we could struggle.

Posted 10:57 13th April 2008

Jason Hewitt says...

I feel the pain too mate, but I'm willing to give him a chance with something like a full squad before damning him completely. Although it has to be said that paying £4 - £5 million quid for Boa Morte and then constantly playing him is a disgrace to the badge. if Curbishley really thinks that he is the type of player that we need, then the sooner we can snare Bilic the better.

Posted 10:01 13th April 2008

Stephen Richmond says...

I think it is time we looked at what exactly he is doing at West Ham. He did nothing and won nothing at Charlton and if we want to win things we have to get a winning manager. We all know about the injury list as he uses it every week (i am getting sick of hearing it now) but we still manage to put out 5-6 internationals week in, week out. Time for a change at West Ham !!

Posted 08:11 13th April 2008

Marc Sargeant says...

More excuses..... Curbs has spent a lot of money on players that not only are unable to stay fit, but are also not good enough to take the club forward. I do not think Curbishley is the man to improve West Ham from being anything more than a mid-table one season, struggling next season type team, and I expect to see a change of manager during the summer if the new owner really does want to see us become a 'top' team.

Posted 06:33 13th April 2008

Nially Nooly says...

I am a Hammer, and Alan Curbishley's comments regarding todays game are as poor as our playing style this season. We were lucky it was only 1 - 0, Bolton deserved the points no amount of whining is going to paper over the cracks. Curbishley's Players, Curbishley's team, Curbishley's Tactics. I'm dreading next season.

Posted 21:59 12th April 2008

James Fraser says...

Yet more post match patheticness from a man who is ruining my beloved club ......

Posted 18:55 12th April 2008

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