Niclas Füllkrug has scored eight Bundesliga goals in seven games for Werder Bremen, making him the division’s leading marksman. At the same time, West Ham’s three recognised strikers, Taty Castellanos, Pablo Felipe and Joel Piroe, have managed only five Championship goals between them.
It would therefore be very easy to look at Füllkrug notching goal after goal and blame West Ham for mismanagement. The Hammers were keen to offload the German during the summer, so his extraordinary renaissance is bound to be somewhat embarrassing for the club.
Fullkrug cannot stop scoring after a two-year misfire as a West Ham forward
However, I am a big believer that managers have to be backed in these situations. Füllkrug was reportedly regarded as a disruptive figure at West Ham and, without being truly on the inside, we will never know how accurate that assessment was.
Füllkrug Answers Klopp With More Goals
Füllkrug scored twice from the penalty spot as Werder beat Mainz 3-2 on Saturday, taking him to eight league goals and nine in eight matches across all competitions. It was also his second consecutive Bundesliga brace.
His form has inevitably led to questions about a Germany recall. National-team manager Jürgen Klopp recently observed: “Niclas Füllkrug is scoring one goal after another in the Bundesliga, but he is 33. That’s not my fault.”
Klopp did leave the door open, suggesting Füllkrug could still help Germany in the present and possibly the medium term. The striker responded calmly during an appearance on ZDF’s Aktuelles Sportstudio, saying: “He listed the facts, nothing more. I’m 33 and I keep scoring goal after goal.”
There was no real row between the pair, but Füllkrug could hardly have provided a better response than becoming the Bundesliga’s leading scorer. His performances are also helping West Ham because Werder have no purchase option within the loan agreement, something Claret & Hugh has had confirmed by one of the player’s representatives.
West Ham Can Demand A Proper Fee
Füllkrug’s current form should place West Ham in a far stronger negotiating position next summer. Having paid a reported £27million to sign him from Borussia Dortmund, the club must now attempt to recover a meaningful portion of that considerable outlay.
That does not mean everything that went wrong in England was caused by West Ham. In one of his first interviews after returning to Germany, Füllkrug spoke about being back home and gave the distinct impression that financial considerations had played a significant part in his original move to London.
I am therefore unsure that West Ham would ever get the same version of Füllkrug that Werder are currently enjoying. His Hammers career had already been soured before Nuno Espírito Santo arrived, with injuries and an inability to fit comfortably into the football played by several different managers.
One thing that has become evident is that it is possible to get on the wrong side of Nuno—and once that happens, there appears to be no way back. Removing Füllkrug now looks questionable because of his goals, while the decision to do the same with Jean-Clair Todibo appears completely vindicated.
Unfortunately for West Ham, what has been proved is that Füllkrug remains a potent force when given the right coaching, an attacking team and a manager who believes in him. None of those ingredients appears to be present in east London currently.
Unless Harry Redknapp is about to be parachuted in as caretaker manager, I see little point in supporters calling for Füllkrug to return. West Ham’s priority should be to let him continue scoring and then demand a proper transfer fee.
However well he is playing I doubt that we will get much of a fee for him. He will be 34 next summer window, the most we can hope for is a nominal fee, but a longer list of clubs looking to take him and his wages off of our hands.
Alvarez is a disruptive player. Jean Clare Todibo was a disruptive player. Mohammed Kudus was a disruptive player. Niclas Fullkrug was a disruptive player. Areola is a disruptive player. Did we really get that unlucky and end up with 6 or 7 disruptive players, or do we just have one disruptive manager?
Good question, well put, let me think about that … umm
Just like happened with Haller when he went back to France and ripped it up in the French league.
We have a history of doing this. We sign a player he gets injured then just when they’re starting to recover we sell them. We have no patience.
Fullkrug is not a premiership player it is to demanding for him. He never produced for palace and didn’t really for us. He has injury issues the standard in Germany is no where near the premiership level in my opinion. Also he was a loose cannon none of the players have said he was a top guy or defended him as far as I know which would be a clue as to his caricature
Palace? When the hell was he at Palace?!?
What we miss – and have done for years – is an old fashioned front man. Not a sophisticated fox in the box or yet another number ten, but someone up front to just put the ball in the net.
Watching countless crosses flash across the face of the Southampton goal from dozens of good passages of wing play, I just couldn’t help thinking how Füllkrug or Haller might have done if we’d fielded a centre forward worthy of the name.
That someone has recently looked like a 6’-4” Czech midfielder, who simply gets in the box and knocks in whatever comes his way and isn’t afraid to follow up on the keeper or stick his head where it hurts.
It’s not rocket science, but it can benefit from potato salad.
I think NES is pretty high maintenance and although a manager needs to stop players thinking they are better than the team, most times his behaviour seems just as much out of line and always a bit like a kid who does not get what he wants.
Wanting players to knuckle under is not the same as keeping a disciplined environment, team spirit and it will never work with certain players with a bit of experience. Anyhow, all a bit too speculative (on my part). Maybe I am wrong and Todibo thought he was too good, just not my impression. He was starting to play well, had easily adpated to the PL after one season, was physical, quick and you could see he was becoming tough for forwards to handle. He was just starting to get going.
Unless, Todibo has stopped really trying, or has problems like say Ravel Morrison, he is a very good player and he’ll come good. Give him time because he has to get over working with Lopetegui, Potter and now the mishap with NES.
Farmers league, let it go.