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“Just go and buy him”…err it’s not quite that simple

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Olivier-Giroud1It’s that time of the year again – frustration and anxiety mixed together in temperatures approaching the nineties to cause maximum gasket blowing among us Hammers.

It’s transfer window time – if anyone needing reminding. A time of the year when we all suddenly become experts in the negotiating business and knowing far more about how these things work than is clearly good for us.

And after last summer I guess we all feel we have the right to be telling Sullivan and Gold exactly who they should be buying and how quickly.

If I had a tenner for every time I’ve read those wonderful words:  “Oh just go and buy him” I could certainly afford a summer holiday in some exotic place or other.

If only life was that simple.

adamatraore_0Yes of course it’s annoying and irritating to read regular updates on where we are with certain targets and this year we are essentially  looking solely for a couple of strikers and possibly a wide man.

But whenever a top name is mentioned – Giroud for example – we are told:

O He’s too old

O He’s out of our league

O Just go and do it

O or we are chasing shadows.

The script varies little when we talk of Henry Oneyeku or Adama Traore who are probably seen as easier targets although the words “not good enough” are usually thrown around.

The line that always leaves me shaking my head “is just go and do it” when essentially two clubs never talk fees until the last stages of  negotiations with the player’s agent have been settled.

Agents demand all sorts of things – appearance and  positional bonuses, image rights, release clauses, buy out fees, besides wages, win and draw bonuses etc.

So to tell a club to just “go and do it” really is a little naive.

On top of all this is the issue of clubs bringing in the players they require before deciding which they will allow to leave and that’s the situation facing us and many other clubs right now.

It may be boring…it maybe annoying but working the ‘window’ and is not a simple matter. It’s a highly complex affair where very often the worst of human nature in the shape of unbridled greed.

Unfortunately there’s only one answer if we aren’t all going to need some mental care – patience and the understanding that the transfer window is about as difficult a place as some will ever tread.

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

0 comments

  • Michael Miller says:

    It’s almost July and only one Free Transfer in – you can’t say things are going well!

    West Ham always seem to do things the hard way, things are never simple. The Dave’s are clever businessmen but when it comes to the Transfer Market dealing they become hesitant and confused – it’s incredibly frustrating.

    • Tel Boy says:

      You do realise there are lots of other clubs who have not signed ONE player yet this window.Its only your own impatience that makes it frustrating to you.As well as you seeming to have an inside briefing on all activity to know whats going on.

  • mooro66uk says:

    How does anyone know that other clubs don’t experience the same problems as us. They’re not likely to broadcast the fact are they? We ain’t the ultimate ambition of all the best players. In fact there is probably a whole host of class acts that wouldn’t touch us with a barge pole. Everybody is only guessing at the moment. None of us know what’s going on behind the scenes so how come some speak as if they have all the info at their finger tips. We can only wait for developments. COYI X

  • essexirons says:

    Like it or not the West Ham name doesn’t cry out success to any top player. We got excited when we finished 7th then take a massive jump backwards to 11th. We have to sell ambition to these players as our last major trophy was 1981 (2nd Div champs) imho we would need to spend £100m+ to get back to where we were 12 months ago. So much money has been wasted last season only for most of them to leave again now, our squad is paper thin as we stand & we might have to pay over the odds to get the players we want, but Come August & kick off again we will be stronger & will push for 7th/8th. COYI

  • Radai Lama says:

    Cant be bothered to worry about it.What happens happens.Maybe we will get some decent players,maybe we will buy shyte again.Either way we will all be at the games still cheering the lads on so whats the point of losing sleep over it or having a nappy wet about it 😁😁

    • HammerHeadz says:

      Radai Lama I know I am new here and I don’t wish to talk out of turn but an obsession with wet children’s nappies strikes me as somewhat abnormal, and in this day and age could get you in a lot of trouble.

      • Tel Boy says:

        I think im more worried about your way of thinking if you take that comment by radai and turn it in to some perverted nappy fetish.I think it says more about you and your thought processes in all honesty Lmao

  • HammerHeadz says:

    Lots of other teams, as usual, don’t seem to struggle getting their man… love to think they’ll prove us all wrong with some quality signings though. I live in hope haha 🤣

  • RangeyFlorida says:

    Of course all the above is true. Seems like clubs like Liverpool and Everton etc who are the teams we are trying to emulate seem to be able to just do it. Maybe they have a better feel for the market and can just get things done.
    All I have heard lately are players where we are raising bids by 1 million or 2 and work permit issues and blah blah blah.
    Pre Season in 2 or 3 weeks after last years disaster a full preseason for all expecting to be on the team sheet is a must.
    Hopefully a striker or two will be there. If not I guess we make the call to Zaza again.

  • Tel Boy says:

    I think i will wait until the tw closes before deciding what we have or havnt done.Im clearly not in the loop like you russ so cant speak with any certainty like you.

  • russ says:

    The reality is like last year we will be left with the scrag’s, the forwards nobody else wants. Our owners are way out of their league and we will out priced on any decent forward, thats a fact.

  • Stan The Man says:

    Well you have a choice noaksey believe or dont believe the press speculation.That is an individuals decision but i know which route i take because to take press rumours at face value is naive to say the least.

  • John says:

    This headline is at least spot on. You’d think it was as easy as buying a bag of sweets by the way some speak.

  • noaksey1 says:

    I think the problem rests with either the club or the the people that print these rumours on this page.After all its not the fans that come up withese players names.Whatever the source is we hear, true or not,that we want Giroud,Iheanacho,Traore,Onyeruku,Bacca,Wilshere and so on.When you hear these names it increases the expectations that West Ham are finally gonna sign some body decent.Then what happens,Everton sign players,Liverpool sign players,Man U sign players,Man City sign players,West Ham? Either nothing or this years excuse seems to be “complications”.Strange how its only us that experiences these problems.

  • Stan The Man says:

    You forgot ‘If hes not good enough for Arsenal hes not good enough for us’ as well Hugh.That is a common comment about players for sale from top six clubs lol
    But seriously i think most fans realise it can be a drawn out affair and isnt as simple as buying someone because you deciede you want him.

  • vor says:

    “AC will be fit for the beginning of the season, he’s good for 20 goals and will be like having a new signing” dg.

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