Hodor the Hero but questions remain about UEFA and Dutch security

Thursday evening's clash of West Ham and AZ Alkmaar was a tense and exciting affair eventually settled by Pablo Fornal's injury time stunner.

But the tie was marred by truly remarkable scenes in which over a hundred Alkmaar 'Ultras' dressed in black and hooded attacked the family and friends section of the ground. 

It's hard to see how such embarrassing cowardly behaviour could resonate with any wannabe thug and even more embarrassingly the thugs were beaten off by a 58 year old post- hip operation Hammers fan who bravely blocked the stairwell where the thugs attempted to gain entry. 

You'd have to wonder what's next on the agenda for these terrifyingly dumb hoodlums - maybe lay seige to a creche or a nursing home? 

But as the dust settles it is apparent that the Dutch authorities mismanaged the incident - failing to make any arrests at the stadium and now reversing into watching video footage of the heavily hooded thugs. 

The security was so amateurish that Hammers players felt compelled to do the security's job for them! And now, rumours emerge that UEFA are investigating the West ham players for their role in the incident. How bizarre can thus get?

In reality, UEFA have a duty of care to all teams and their supporters who participate in their events. Perhaps its time for West ham to take a considerably more assertive stance on the matter?

Or do we just let the cowardly thugs walk away and lazily blame the victims. It's farcical. 

Fans Seek Clarity on Olympic Stadium Opener

Calls are being made for West Ham to clarify their plans for the first game at the Olympic Stadium. Many fans purchased tickets for the clash with Juventus on August 7^th in the belief that they would witness history being made with the first game at the Olympic Stadium.

However, the Hammers involvement in the Europa cup has apparently scuppered those plans as the Hammers' first fixture at their new Stratford home could well now be a third qualifying round clash against either Shakhtyor Soligorsk of Belarus or Slovenian side Domzale. 

This fixture is also shrouded in uncertainty as the home leg is scheduled for July 28 but the club have made requested Uefa to switch the order of the tie so that they might play the second leg at home thus ensuring that the Olympic Stadium is ready. Apparently preliminary discussion indicate that both Shakhtyor and Domzale are agreable in principle to such a switch, but the final decision must be approved by UEFA.

A club statement to guide fans would surely be in order as many will really want to be present for the Olympic stadium opener?

The first Premier League fixture at the stadium will be against Bournemouth on Sunday, August 21.