Sport 03-12-2002 Hammers Boss On The Brink who: West Ham manager Glenn Roeder what: Says he`ll stay and fight after West Ham suffer another home defeat where: Upton Park, LONDON when: Yesterday snippet: "Football`s cruelty is as compelling as its beauty," reckons The Independent`s Mike Rowbottom, "and for aficionados of pain last night`s match at a deeply troubled Upton Park was an exquisite delight." The pain was all West Ham`s as a dominant performance against Southampton was undone by a last minute goal from Saints striker James Beattie, at the sight of which "several of the home side dropped to their knees in dismay." "Just three points from nine games is the total of West Ham`s dismal home form so far this season," calculates The Mirror , "and last night`s defeat sparked angry scenes at the final whistle." Hundreds of furious fans mobbed the Upton Park gates to demand the sacking of chairman Terrence Brown, who last week warned that money would not be released in January for the club to spend on new players. The supporters` anger, directed at Brown rather than manager Glenn Roeder, gave credence to Roeder`s stance that he would see his club through their crisis. "Nothing has ever come easy for me," said the former Watford manager. "There are people who have had a silver spoon in their mouth all of their lives and when the going gets tough they take to flight - but that is not my style, I`ll stay and fight. I don`t know any other way." Whatever the manager`s intentions, the papers agree that Roeder`s position must, in the words of The Times, "be hanging by the slenderest thread." Last night was "a defeat too far" agrees The Guardian. "Roeder is a decent man who has worked his socks off to try to turn the tide," admits The Sun in what sounds like a career obituary. "Sadly for him, it has just not been enough." [... more]

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