Grady Diangan’s departure from West Ham has been greeted by a furious tweet from skipper Mark Noble – here’s how ClaretandHugh followers ans reacted to the captain’s comments.
- After having a very successful loan spell at West Brom where he obviously enjoyed himself under Bilic and winning the fans support its no wonder he was happy to go. If the truth were known he probably wanted to anyway , although he didn’t say it . He wanted guaranteed playing time and would probably have been a problem anyway .
- What a rabble running our club… Sad to see another relegation battle on the cards for this season
- I can fully understand why Nobes is angry.
- Thank God we still have people at the club who are brave enough to question such a dreadful decision. Promote from within has been the message, so we sell the best one. Terrible day for West Ham United.
- Much as I respect the fact Noble has been a great captain for many years I don’t agree with him making public political comments. No player is bigger than the club. This is what happens when a player has been at a club for so long. They gain player power which can provoke this kind of thing as we’ve seen with Messi at Barcelona. Noble is a multi millionaire towards the end of his career so he doesn’t care what he says.
- You believe who you want too. But I would believe and back the word of Mark Noble every time. This is the man that is West Ham through and through. He has given everything in his professional career to West Ham United.
- Thank you Nobes, needed to be said on behalf of all of us. Time these people GSB, woke up and smelled the roses. If he’s angry imagine the rest of the squad as well.
So they have upset their fans and their players with yet another in a long line of short sighted bordering imbecilic decisions
Managing to incense their fans, players and lose one of their best prospect in one foul swoop is pretty special even by their own ever so low standard
As usual, a little perspective is needed. I am sad to see Diang go, he’s young, hungry and British so fits the bill of what Moyes is after. However there is a big but here…. we had seven wingers at the club:
Bowen – better than Diang
Antonio – better than Diang
Fornals – better than Diang
Anderson – despite a poor season significantly better than Diang and deserves another season. He is hands down the most talented of all. Can Moyes bring the best out of him?
Yarmolenko – better than Diang and has a proven end product at the highest level. He’s got a decent scoring record for us
Masuaku/Snodgrass as well
Then there’s Nathan Holland waiting in the wings.
So we are oversubscribed in those positions with some better options. I’ve no doubt that Diang as committed to WHU but he knew he had WBA and Bilic as a backup option for his ambitions of first team football, that’s why he made that demand. He will get more football as WBA so would have wanted to go.
Further perspective – the reported clubs in for Diang were WBA, Fulham and Villa. If he was that much of a prospect, the top four to eight clubs would have been in for him. They weren’t and the clubs they were are promoted clubs and a relegation candidate which says a lot.
I’ve read lots of comments about the club selling their best young talent with comparisons to Joe Cole, Rio, Lampard and the likes. Those comparisons are frankly ridiculous. There was even a comment comparing Diang to Ryan Giggs! Seriously.
If we’d have sold or do sell the likes of Fornals, Bowen, Rice or Johnson then I would understand some of the anger but again perspective tells me that those players are significantly ahead of Diang.
Patience is now needed to see what Moyes does with the money to strengthen the weakest area of he side, the defence. I will wait until that business is done before I judge.
Everyone just needs to calm down and trust in Moyes. He has earned that right, especially when making a decision that you might not agree with. He is the manager, the expert and has that responsibility, not you, so get on board and get behind him.
Those kicking off seem to have forgotten Bowen and Soucek already, 40 million plus in January and absolutely fantastic signings. Fickle to say the least.
Tarkowski fits the bill, English with proven PL experience and is in the age bracket where defenders are at their peak. It’s exactly what he said he was after and that’s what he’s now moving towards.
COYI
A lot of sense in what you’re saying but to some extent you’re missing the point:
1 – Diangana leaving sends a dreadful message to the rest of the academy.
2 – The Tarkowski thing is a smokescreen, anybody can see that. He’s out of our league sadly; Burnley won’t be letting him go for a price we can pay and why would he take a step down from a regular top 6 challenging team to a perennial relegation candidate team. The only way to tempt him would be with silly wages and that’s a lessen we have hopefully learned to avoid. And apart from that, fullbacks must be a much higher priority than a centre back.
Overall, much as I love Mark, he should have stayed shtum on this; at least in public.
I think Jeff has it right. We are spoiled for choice in that position and it has to be right to sell to buy to shore up defence. We’re quick to label someone as indispensible – look how Lanzini, Anderson and Haller looked after their first few matches. Those three firing on all cylinders, would be formidable – a test for our coaches this season. nil desperandum
I reluctantly agree that the sale of Diang is in the short term interests of the club but I’m sorry it had to happen. We need good first team standard defensive reinforcements, particularly at full back, so if he’s the only one we had a good offer for, then so be it. Good luck to him. Tarkowski would be a good addition to the squad – I don’t put him out of our league. 3 points from me:
One thing that Diang has compared to the others wingers left at the club is pace. If Antonio isn’t on the pitch marauding forward, then out and out pace would really help us turn defence into attack. We missed it last season.
Anderson was dreadful last season with the exception of the match at Sheffield Utd, in my opinion. I believe David Moyes can improve Anderson as a team player but whether he will ever display the fighting spirit required for the PL is very much in doubt. If Stuart Pearce can’t motivate him, then no-one can.
I have a hundred thousand reasons every week for having no time for Jack Wilshere lecturing anyone about respect. COYI
Antonio used as a striker, Fornals best centrally. Anderson Yarmalenko lol. Lump on we are going down this season.
Are you a Real Fan .? . Or just jumping on the band wagon of rediculous fans . ?
Those same fans that ousted Alladyce & Moyes and applauded the arrival of Pelligrini .
There Are Times when I seriously think our biggest problem is the fans who think we are a big club …. we never have been and untill fans realize that and start backing us we never will be .
I agree completely with Jeff. We’ve been saying on this site for weeks that further investment is in its needed in the squad. Rightly or wrong Lee the club have also been saying for some time the players must be sold if we are to buy new players. We have nine winners. The only one who appears to have attracted any interest is Diang. Basic market economic’s makes it clear that whether you wanted him to go or not if you want to generate money you have to sell and you can only sell if someone is willing to buy. I’ve seen other post that criticise the purported money that we may get for Anderson and Lanzini. Whether you want them to go or not, if no one wants to buy them, then you have to sell what someone wants. Quite frankly if the alternative is to sell Deccers, then this is by far the best way forward.
I disagree as to the messages since the academy. The reason Diangana has been sold for such a large sum of money is that he was given some first-team opportunities, went on loan and proved himself to be a decent player. It proves that West Ham will develop good talent, will give them chances and will give them loan moves (Dan Kemp, Nathan Holland et cetera). ultimately we are selling a player from a position where we have multiple options (including Holland). The challenge now is to allow David Moyes to buy the defensive targets that he wants, we’ve proven (without Diang) that we can score plenty of goals with the players we have in the squad. Our problem is we let in so many. If we could sign Tarkowski or someone like that, then it would be a step in the right direction in my opinion.
Well said Jeff King. Fully agree. Diang is a talent without doubt and he could make it big or not. To cash in now and shore up our defence is the most important thing. Shame we couldn’t get a decent price for some of the others as he is young and should be part of what DM wants to build – however I have faith in DM and he knows what he’s doing.
This situation has given lots of propganda to the anti owner brigade – it is frustrating that they claim they’re could surely afford to invest and build up the team after the current depatures. But it isn’t to be and as long as we bring in two defenders, DM will get the best out of the squad and our attacking structure will be much improved than under Pellegrini.
It is nice to see Nobes coming out with his feelings and I find that players tend to keep quiet and protect their own backs when sometimes they need to show some grit. The owners need to make a clear cut statement saying they will back DM – they need to placate the fans and give us their views on moving forward. Most importantly, the team need to be together from the tea lady all the way to the top – otherwise forget it!
I have faith in DM as I said earlier, so lets get behind him and his staff – but as a long standing WHU fan, I expect two quality defenders and not panic buys…COYI
I fully support the Skipper’s feeling in this matter. 100%
I was a football captain too. As well as club chairman, coach and league delegate. I understand all the dynamics of the game … and therefore understand Mark’s feeling.
He speaks for himself, the team, its future and for the supporters in this regard.
It’s not about Grady’s ability at all. But about respect (as noted by a certain tweet) and about the principle which says … we grow our youngsters to glow for us.
And we will protect them, and ensure they have a great future … firstly with us, or if a better opportunity comes with another.
All if this has been disregarded by all, and disgust must be shown with the view of entrenching West Ham values and principles, before we lose Nathan H, Xander, Josh and the rest of our wonder boys too.
Lord, help West Ham.
Well said Jersey Hammer! People cannot moan about a lack of defender numbers and quality while we have seven wing players.
More spin from c and h ,he was happy to go !!
Absolute rubbish
Please don’t talk ******** – these are fans quote from right here. Go and look
He wanted guaranteed first team football . No manager can give that guarantee . He wanted to leave ; basically . He absolutely let West Ham United down . That is why Noble is upset .
At no point did Noble criticize the Board .
Diangana MIGHT have gone on to be a major player for us, or he might not. As I have endlessly said before, the real problem we have is too many too expensive players that no one else wants to buy. So who do we sell? Rice? Soucek? Fabianski?
You get my point. It’s frustrating that we have to move on young talent,but not disrespectful to the player concerned and provided the money is invested in a new LB / CB and or class midfielder may prove to be the best thing the club could have done in the circumstances.
As zi have said before, the real villains here are Pellegrini and Husillios.
Noble at no point said he was angry with the West Ham board . He only said he was angry .
I think he is angry with Diangana for pushing a transfer . A transfer he obviously wanted in the belief he would Have more minutes on the pitch. . He came back after his loan spell thinking he was something special. . Sorry but you are not . And if West Ham can take advantage of the move then so be it . There are better players who want to prove themselves this coming season . They ( these players ) are probably very tired of being undermined and under valued on various YouTube channels .
I am seeing too many you tubers with shadows under thier eyes obsessed with the Diagana
Transfer and accusing the board of treacherous behavior . People are saying that Moyes is upset ; yet Moyes has said nothing!! .
Youtubers with dark eyes in a garden shed and dishing out DOOM & GLOOM just don’t do it for me .
West Ham United will be ok thank you very much without those negative imputes .
All of this can be traced back to Pellegrini and husillos. Fans called out for a big name manager, the fans called out for a DOF, they called out for them to be left alone to deal with transfers and the fans called out for them to be backed with cash. Fast forward, the pair of them left us with one good defender (ogbonna), one good midfielder (Rice, until we also got Soucek), they left us with one striker (Haller) but they did leave us nearly a first team worth of attacking midfielders. We need to realise that even without Covid 19 this mess was always going to take at least 2 seasons to try and sort out as all the players they did sign are on stupidly good money so have no incentive to move clubs even if we want them gone. Sorry to put reality out there and I’m gutted Diangan has gone but if we go into this season without strengthening the defence we are screwed. Oh and before all the calls start no I’m not a board supporter I can’t stand them but for different reasons, quite frankly I think they are an embarrassment to the club the way they conduct business.
David Moyes has said he wants to build a young team, could it be that he had to sell Diangana to raise funds as there wasn’t any interest in the likes of Snodgrass, Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Wilshere and Anderson due to their rather hefty wages. If that is the case there was no other option.
It just goes to show that giving players long term expensive contracts is not good deal for the club but a fantastic one for agents and players.
Not £12m and never was
Like Noble and the others, I don’t think Moyes was happy with this. From the comments coming from the players, it seems Diangana was liked and his talent respected. The big question for me is why are we in such a god-awful mess, and going backwards so much faster than any of the clubs around us.
So much for G&S generating income to take us to the next level – Not so long ago we were amongst the richest top 20 clubs in the world/top 10 in the EPL. Despite that, we still struggle from one calamity to the next and our owners never seem to have a plan, at least not one they stick to for long. They won’t be with us for ever and hopefully not much longer.
I think many of us who’ve been following Dianga’s progress, saw his return as something to look forward to in what has been the bleakest of transfer windows. He would’ve bought pace, trickery and a glimmer of hope. I’m gutted and I don’t blame others for feeling the same.
I hope now that Moyes can pull the squad together and find some way to get a tune out of Haller, Anderson and Lanzini. Lanzini’s been looking a bit better lately, hopefully he can get some way back to his best. We do need a defender or two and lets hope we get lucky this time, because god knows we need some luck right now.