Past mistakes are costing the Hammers in a big way – the latest being the huge pay off (precise details unknow) to Winston Reid.
It of course seemed inevitable in the long run despite loan spells in the States and Brentford but the club has come to seriously regret the six year contract they awarded the lad back in 2017.
Given that clubs are reluctant to hand managers much more than two or three year deals the decision seemed extraordinary at the time and costly since.
Throw the covid situation into the mix and the Reid pay off – along with that of Jack Wilshere and the huge loss on Felipe Anderson – and lessons are finally hopefully being learned.
Handing out such a contract to the unfortunate Reidy was astonishing and must never be repeated – agents have to be withstood and shorter deals – given the risks involved in this game – are the way to go surely.
Nobody wishes the Kiwi defender anything less than the absolutely best in the future. He’s been a great servant and we hope he finishes his career at a decent club.
But a lesson has to be learned from the contract situation.
In the grand scheme of football finances an occasional loss is a hit that clubs need to understand and evaluate. Covid, Anderson, Wilshere and Haller have NOTHING to do with Winston Reid and shouldn’t be lumped together conveniently into a dysfunctional package.
Covid is something that has affected the game as a whole, but that didn’t stop Citeh from buying Grealish and didn’t prevent Manure from bringing Ronaldo back to these shores.
It is worth remembering and HIGHLIGHTING that Winston was awarded his contract for PROVEN form for West Ham and his Importance to the club.
IF you attempt to be tight-fisted and cut everything to the bone, without the realisation of the Real costs within the game, you will end up giving players like Rice, Two to Three Year Contracts…….. That wouldn’t go down too well with our supporters….and then everyone can be wise after the event?
Football does not run along the same lines as most businesses and I have long become accustomed to that fact.
By the way, I would like to Thank Winston for the great memories & for his service to this club over the last Ten years and wish him the very best for the future ⚒️⚒️
In fairness Cat I started off talking in the plural not in the Reid singular
That’s all well and good, Hugh – and I agree with you entirely – however, when ‘those’ fans are baying for blood, questioning the manager and criticising our owners for not signing this player or that player, will these lessons be remembered? Nope.
Rather than “Good on the owners for learning from their mistakes and not giving in to greedy agents – let’s stick to our guns” we’ll get “typical West Ham; why can’t we get any deals over the line?”…
Will the impact of the long term sink into those fans whose only joy in life seems to be criticising our management… I won’t hold my breath…
At the time Reid signed his contract he was being connected to a few top sides. The signing to a long term contract was considered then to be something of a coup, given the amount we would have to spend in bringing in a replacement. On a cost basis, the contract was less expensive than a replacement signing. Injuries happen in football, and the same injury could have happened to any replacement we may have signed. This “loss” is part of the cost of doing business. Would anyone be upset if we signed Rice to a six year contract today?
Good luck Winston. Thank you for your service. You will always be remembered as the scorer of the last goal at the Boleyn.