Relegation Woe...!!

At the start of the two thousand and six, seven season, it would have been expected to see the London rivals, Charlton Athletic and West Ham United comfortably placed in mid table at this stage of the season.

After Curbs' departure from the Valley at the end of last season, his replacement Ian Dowie, had been promised and given good money to spend in the transfer market and the former Crystal Palace manager seemed to have done a good job on paper, bringing in a combination of youth and experience to freshen up the Addicks.

West Ham enjoyed a fantastic first season in the premiership under Alan Pardew, culminating with the Hammers only seconds away from a famous FA cup victory. The start of the new premier league season it seemed couldn't come fast enough for West Ham.

The issues surrounding the two clubs have been well publicised, and the manager merry go round came to the forefront of this weekends fixtures with Alan Curbishley taking on his former employers in his new position as West Ham United manager, with former Hammers boss Alan Pardew in the hot seat at the Valley.

The game that followed was as one sided an affair as has been seen this season and on that type of performance West Ham will soon be travelling to Coca Cola Championship grounds. I do feel genuine sympathy for Hammers supporters after watching Saturday's game; it's disgusting to watch players who represent the club you love, not putting the effort in for either the shirt, or the inflated wage they are paid to play a game they love.

Outside the support however, I feel no such sympathy. The conduct of the West Ham players has left little to be desired, they have shown they lack the heart for a fight against a team, like Charlton or Watford, but are prepared to have a go against the glamour sides like Man United, an appaling trait in professionals in any career. The management situation has been handled appallingly too, how many Hammers fans believe they are better off under Curbs than they were four or five months ago under Pardew, or if the sniping from the new manager amidst a back drop of growing player unrest has helped?

With Pardew at the helm, there was at least some belief the side would play their way out of trouble, at least that belief has found its way across the capital to the Valley. It was also a cheap shot for Curbs to have a dig at Pardews training methods and motivational techniques, funny how these things can come back to haunt you.

Similarly, it was also highly dis respectful of Les Reed to criticise his former boss Ian Dowie about fitness levels of players at Charlton after Dowie left, particularly as player conditioning came under the remit of Mr Reed. Thankfully, Reed lasted only weeks in the job before the Charlton senior management came to the senses and removed him, getting in a man who has conducted himself with dignity throughout a difficult period in his professional career.

Since taking over Pardew has done a good job, nothing spectacular, but you feel momentum is with the Addicks, more so than the team they battered and Herfordshire outfit Watford, who were also extremely poor against Everton in the late game on Saturday.

More over for Pardew, and a mark of the man that despite his Charlton side effortlessly disposing of the Hammers at the Valley on Saturday, I haven't found one quote criticising West Ham or their treatment of him. In a time when professional integrity and football are words on opposite plains, Pardew deserves nothing but respect for that.