On the pitch West Ham’s crisis-riven season grinds towards its crescendo with Arsenal visiting on Sunday as the Hammers try and claw back the advantage handed to Tottenham last weekend. Skipper Jarrod Bowen will lead his side out more in hope than expectation that the Irons can pull off a miracle to match Old Trafford in 2007.
Away from the match day squad, loanees are heading back to the club shortly after tepid seasons. Bottom of the pile -probably – is Niclas Fullkrug, who endured a half season loan at AC Milan from which he’s exited with the whiff of failure accompanying him on the plane back to London.
Former Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg striker Patrick Helmes was brutal in his condemnation of Fullkrug’s efforts in Milan and his stalled career – as reported by sportwitness.co.uk:
“Füllkrug has now been told to take a long, hard look at himself and return to Germany:
“Without consistency abroad, he’s struggled. I’d advise him to return home to relaunch himself.
Returning on the plane accompanied by a whiff of failure: Niclas Fullkrug
But he’s at an age where not much is possible anymore…in the long run, he’s simply not playing well. This isn’t the club’s or his teammates’ fault. Füllkrug should take a look in the mirror.”
Ouch. At 33 Fullkrug’s best years are behind him and he’ll certainly not face a gala welcome at West Ham: The last thing the club or the player need is a forced marriage-style reunion after the uneasy separation of his loan to Milan.
There are still reports that a Bundelisga side may yet come in and pluck him out of the East London quicksand in which he is in danger of sinking.
That would seem the only way the German is going to get game time in a career that is rapidly heading southwards just about as fast as West Ham appear to be heading for the Premier League trapdoor.