Signing for seven London clubs throughout his prolific, 17-year career, Clive Allen scored 21 times during his half-century of appearances in Claret & Blue after joining the Hammers in March 1992. Tonight, having also spent four seasons at Tottenham Hotspur, the TNT Sports analyst reflects on the current fortunes of his former teams…
Managing for success
Next Thursday, West Ham face Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals – the third successive year they’ve reached the last-eight of European competition.
Going into the international break, they were seventh in the Premier League and I can’t understand why David Moyes gets such a mixed reception?
Look where the Hammers are now. And look where they’ve come from in such a short period of time.
David’s done an absolutely fantastic job for West Ham United Football Club.
Cast your eyes down the European leagues and, elite teams aside, it’s so difficult to achieve success at any major level, these days.
But West Ham United are now an established, fully-fledged Premier League team, challenging in the top-half of the table and, based on these past few seasons, they’re classed as European contenders, too.
As manager you’ve got to be adept at rotating your squad, while remaining competitive and battling on two fronts. It’s not easy to travel on Wednesday, play Thursday and then re-group for Sunday afternoon’s Premier League match.
To win any European trophy is a major achievement – just remember how José Mourinho celebrated Roma’s Conference League victory over Feyenoord – and, for me, David just doesn’t get the credit he so richly deserves.
Italian job
Working for TNT Sports on Thursday nights, I’ve seen a lot of West Ham United as they’ve come through the various European rounds over these past few seasons.
Going across to the different cities and commentating on those ties has been such a wonderful experience and I’ve really enjoyed seeing how much it’s meant to the travelling army of Hammers fans. They’re absolutely loving it right now!
That UEFA Europa Conference League trophy was a long time coming but there’s been an absolute sea-change in West Ham’s fortunes over these past three years. The jubilation and celebrations following victory over Fiorentina in Prague, last June, were a joy to watch and I was so pleased for everyone at the Football Club, including my close-neighbour, Mark Noble (!).
Certainly, 31 years on, that glorious European night was a far cry from the evening when – playing at Serie B side Cosenza – we found ourselves wading through a waterlogged pitch in the Anglo-Italian Cup!
I netted 21 times for West Ham but my best-ever goal for the Club came in one of the strangest matches I ever played in, and one I’ll never forget.
Back in December 1992, torrential rain had fallen from the moment we landed in southern Italy and, upon arriving at Stadio Gigi Marulla, we had to paddle, knee-deep, through the tunnel just to get onto the pitch, which was totally under water.
Quite simply, the tie shouldn’t have been played but there was pressure to get it done on the night.
Only 800 spectators braved the conditions, including 50 loyal Hammers fans and, following two pitch inspections, I ended up playing alongside Steve Jones, who’d just signed from Billericay Town.
The only way to score was with a volley or a header because the ball simply couldn’t travel along the puddles covering the surface.
Sure enough, a minute before half-time, debutant ‘Jonah’ chipped the perfect ball forwards and I hit a waist-high, 25-yarder into the top corner.
As far as the game was concerned that was it, both sides then spent the second-half just splashing around in midfield, Cosenza couldn’t get near our goal and we couldn’t get anywhere close to theirs again, either!
Drying out on the plane home after our 1-0 win, I knew I’d never strike a sweeter volley.
But I can’t even begin to compare the magnitude of our respective goals after Jarrod Bowen’s brilliant 90th-minute cup final winner against the Italians over in the Czech Republic.
Jarrod’s just continued to go from strength-to-strength. He’s having another great season and, rightfully, was included in Gareth Southgate’s squad for those recent friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
Based on what he’s done during this past year, I’d like to think Jarrod’s virtually on the plane to this summer’s UEFA European Championships…
No quarter given
The Premier League’s the toughest in the world and that’s why English teams continue to do so well in Europe. Looking at next week’s quarter-finals, we’re being represented by five clubs across three competitions – West Ham, Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
When you’re down to the last eight in any tournament, the competition’s so fierce while you’re also coming up against so many teams with such a great history in Europe. Just look at last month’s UEFA Europa League draw – AC Milan, Roma, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen, Olympique Marseille, Atalanta and Liverpool.
Most of those sides have played in the UEFA Champions League and some have actually won it so you’ve got to admire their quality.
These are some of the best clubs in Europe and are names that the Hammers now find themselves up against going forward.
Facing top European teams is exactly where West Ham are at, right now.
That’s such a good place to be.
Ready replacements
Tottenham Hotspur are having a very exciting season under Ange Postecoglou and their supporters are enjoying what they’re seeing, right now.
After getting 2023/24 off to a great start, just like any other team, they then found themselves dealing with injuries and suspensions as their campaign continued. That put paid to their bright opening but they’ve got a strong squad and going into last month’s international break, were still in fifth-spot and in the mix for Europe with ten games to go.
The UEFA Champions League is everyone’s goal when the season begins but qualification for any of the three European competitions is still a big mark of success. With the Premier League being the toughest around, if you can finish high enough to gain a European spot then that’s testament to any manager and his squad.
Both West Ham and Tottenham came into this campaign without last season’s talisman - the Hammers obviously lost Declan Rice, while Spurs saw Harry Kane move to Bayern Munich.
Each transfer was probably inevitable and both clubs lost a big star but that happens in football and it’s about how you respond.
Sure, that one player will always make a significant contribution but the game’s not just about individuals, it’s about the entire team. Declan and Harry have both thrived on their fresh challenges and hit the ground running at their new clubs.
But at Spurs, James Maddison’s been a massive addition to Ange’s team since leaving Leicester City, while Micky van der Ven, with his outstanding pace, has been absolutely brilliant at the back since signing from VfL Wolfsburg.
West Ham have also done well to bring in James Ward-Prowse, Edson Álvarez and Mohammed Kudus, who really complements Lucas Paquetá.
Co-commentating on many Ligue 1 games, I saw a lot of Paquetá when he was playing for Olympique Lyonnais in France. He’s a real talent and an amazing footballer. Any manager would want the Brazilian in their side.
Looking at the Premier League table right now, it’s clear to see that both teams have, thankfully, coped well with two big summer departures.
The West Ham way
I saw last season’s FA Youth Cup final and was really impressed with West Ham’s 5-1 victory over Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.
There may be lots of money swishing around in the game but, equally, it’s vitally important to nurture and develop your own crop of youngsters, too.
That’s not easy these days but it’s so good to see that Kevin Keen and all the coaches in the Academy of Football are producing talent for the future.
When I was at the Club back in the early ‘90s, Kevin, Kenny Brown, Mark Robson and Steve Potts were all good team-mates of mine and it’s great to see them still involved with the Hammers.
Not only were they very good footballers but they were great professionals and fine people, too. Those young lads in the Academy will certainly be getting great advice from a set of excellent coaches, who really do know all about the West Ham way.
The Generation Game
When I look back on my time at West Ham, I take great pride from netting the late-goal in our victory over Cambridge United (2-0) to seal promotion on the final day of 1992/93, before then scoring twice against Sheffield Wednesday (2-0) in the Club’s first-ever Premier League victory.
A long-standing calf-injury meant those two strikes proved the last of my professional career spanning five England caps, ten clubs, some 500 matches and nearly 250 goals.
Having been brought up in Upminster, though, life wouldn’t have felt complete if I’d retired without ever playing for the Hammers at some stage.
Aside from (briefly) being an American Football kicker, I’ve managed to stay in the game as a coach, caretaker manager and co-commentator, too. Aged 62, I’m still watching lots of games and loving my media work with TNT and the ‘World Feed’.
Down the generations, the Allen family has produced many footballers – my father Les, brother Bradley, late-uncle Dennis, cousins Martin and Paul - who I played alongside at West Ham and Spurs - plus Martin’s son, Charlie.
My son, Ollie, was also in the Academy of Football before having spells with Birmingham City and Barnet. Having retired, Ollie now works in financial markets but still coaches a local kids’ team in Essex, where his son, Bertie, plays and I help out whenever I can.
They’re moving to Madrid soon and Bertie’s already eyeing up a trip to Bernabéu Stadium and the club shop! Obviously it’s far too soon to tell – right now it’s just lovely to see my grandson enjoying his game – but one day I’m sure we’ll find out whether he’s got the Allen family’s footballing gene, too…
