I never really had Glenn Roeder down as a wind-up merchant and I reckon it's a fairly safe bet that neither did you. So what does he do on his first return to Upton Park as a manager? Dangle a metaphorical red rag in front of a bunch of already extremely peeved West Ham fans by waving in the direction of Newcastle's supporters and punching the air in triumph.
Newcastle's manager has, of course, since apologised and in truth, he is not the sort of guy who normally indulges himself in this sort of matador-type behaviour. However, as I watched Sky's (many) television replays it is impossible to ignore the fact that, as West Ham's "tough" guys gesticulate madly in the direction of the Newcastle bench, as their faces gradually turn a funny shade of purple and police/stewards restrain them, Roeder is smirking!
It might only be a slight smirk, but it is a smirk nonetheless, almost as if the sights and sounds of the supporters who are desperately trying to get to him so that they can rip his smug head off is all, well, rather amusing.
Personally, I can't blame him for that, but then again I am a wind-up merchant. In fact had I been subjected to some of the personal abuse Roeder suffered during the latter period of his time as West Ham manager I would have been tempted to sprint over to the Newcastle fans to perform a victory jig before pulling down my suit trousers and Y-Fronts (I reckon Glenn is a Y-Fronts kinda guy) to bare my backside to the baying Hammer goons while mockingly pretending to blow bubbles.
It's a bit like a fantasy I had - no, not that sort - of scoring at Anfield in the 80s and sprinting the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of - and perhaps in - the Kop. Not so strange you might think, but it is a little risky when the fantasy revolved around scoring against Liverpool in the last minute to deprive them of some sort of major piece of silverware!
Alright, so it would inevitably lead to some sort of FA disrepute charge - and perhaps a riot - but it would be a good way to express my joy at the victory.
In the boring real world, however, Roeder should not have punched the air with such glee, particularly as the game had still not finished and West Ham, no matter how unlikely it looked, could still have snatched something from the game. So tut tut Glenn.
As for the game itself, well whoever said watching Newcastle was dull and predictable? That's right, nobody said it because the only thing that is predictable is their unpredictability, if that makes any sense.
I even wrote after the close of the transfer window that West Ham were among a clutch of clubs who had more strength in depth in their squad than Newcastle's. I was also someone who wrote that Newcastle's lack of cutting edge in attack against Fulham was just as worrying as their lack of security in defence. So what have they done since? Secured two back-to-back wins and two clean sheets.
It has been the ideal way to bounce back from what looked a very worrying home defeat to the Cottagers - who by the way took a point of Champions League-chasers Tottenham last weekend - but let's not get too carried away shall we, it's Liverpool at Anfield next!
I wonder if Obafemi Martins has got a goal celebration planned, I could give him a few suggestions....
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