What with the plethora of West Ham websites, Facebook and – notably – Twitter and ITKs it’s hardly surprising that so far this window anything up to a dozen reports a day concerning players we are interested in, or about to sign, are reported.
We try to keep it real here and as a result have re-introduced our rumour rater. However, we will report the less outrageous stories with the source named because there are many who tune in for that sort of stuff at this time of the season.
During the pre-David Moyes days you could get away with naming player after player on a very regular basis as not a window passed under GSB without loan or permanent signings being made. Thiose days are gone!
With the Scot’s return one has to be a little more circumspect because as we have already seen he is extremely cautious and likely to change his mind on any number of players.
Plus he has made it abundantly clear he won’t be wasting money on players who can’t add something to the team – these aren’t excuses, he genuinely means it!
It would come as no surprise at all were he – as he has implied – to sign nobody with Zouma now reported fit along with Cressie.
Yes, a striker is badly needed but Chris Wood costing Newcastle £25 million at 30 shows how scarce decent strikers are right now and clubs are holding onto them anyway as they approach a critical time of the season.
The reality as we understand it is that he wants another defender anyway but let’s be honest he has managed to take a lot of excitement out of the transfer period…mind you that may be no bad thing.
In fairness to him however he has made his position quite clear and won’t bow to fans demands.
And that is entirely fair enough. Nobody is gonna hustle this bloke.
Another excuse for Failure in the Transfer Market. We could be a Champions League Outfit, but the Board and the Manager have a little club attitude. The Club we never fulfil it’s potential why this prevails
We need signings, give Newman the job to secure the right players. We are in a terrific position, one we may never be in again, we have the opportunity to move forward. Sign the players pay what is needed to bring in the 2-3 quality signings we need to make this dream happen and prevent players liek Rice leaving next summer. I just cannopt believe what is happening at the moment. I cannot belive we have made enquires for players like Hause of Villa, will the signing of Hause improve the team, will the signing of Hause make DR stay NO NO and NO.
Totally get your point Johnham but if players of the right quality aren’t available it’s counter productive. We’ve been there enough over the last few years mate
Hugh no offense but that is why we hired Newman for this reason as he is the one who needs to be putting the right plans in place to ensure we get what we need when we need it. It is simply shocking what is going on and I do not accept what Moyes has said we have put in offers for players but the clubs do not want to sell. This just confirms the lack of upfront planned, we should be putting in offers for players who are of the right quality and who are available. It is just incredible to believe what is going on.
That’s not quite the case Johnham. Newman is head of recruitment and explained in an interview early on the official site that his job is to offer Moyes options and he then decides
Moyes has done just fine in the transfer market so far. He has done particularly well in the January transfer market in previous seasons. So I’m quite relaxed about it and as always it will probably come down to the last days before targets become available.
Chris Wood is an easy example to use if you are arguing that deals are hard to do. However we are a different prospect, we’re fighting for European football again next season not trying to avoid relegation. We are in Moysie’s own words a better proposition now and he is being offered better players by the agents. You reported as much on here recently, I’m not stressing but it does seem a case of rinse and repeat with the transfer strategy.
We are also trying to get decent players with other clubs who have much to play for at both ends of the table which is the point mate. Moyes plays one up and where are we gonna find a better one than MA at this time of the year who can seriously put pressure on him. I can’t remember any right on winter buys in my time at the Irons
I hear you Hugh, but we are regularly told that everyone has a price. Ben Brereton Diaz at 20-25million is not excessive. There must be money in the pot for that surely.
Why would they sell a guy whose goals could put them back in the PL is my point mate
I agree it would take a lot of effort but if we wait around hoping they don’t make the prem it could easily backfire.
Money talks and a bird in the hand etc etc.
Players and agents have far more power these days so while it wouldn’t be easy it could be done with the right offer. There seems to be a reluctance to grease the right palms, I detest it but that’s football these days.
U make good points buddy – good little debate that
West Ham websites, Facebook and – notably – Twitter and ITKs
Don’t know Hugh, don’t read them. Sometimes browse one gossip column for about 5 mins and chuckle most of the time. Still 13 days of this window left- I’m sure we’ll all be in for a surprise.
COYI
I’ve been in this game a lifetime but Moyes is the first manager I’ve been unable to read so u may well be right Austrick
I think most are missing the point. When mot’s is told about a player, first he decides if he may fit in, then when they start talking, the fees/agents etc make it a nonsense. I totally trust David Moyes, so let’s just wait and see
Whilst I trust Moyes, I just can’t believe nobody is available that would improve the team and whilst it can be argued that clubs want to hold onto their best players, money talks. If Aston Villa can bring in Coutinho and then go for Luis Suarez, surely we can bring in someone that will improve us. Its reported that Benoît Badiashile could be bought but at the right price. Let’s just pay them the money and bring him in. Its also being reported that Arsenal have bought Dusan Vlahovic and have been trying to bring him in since October. They obviously targeted the player months ago and have done everything they can to bring him in. West Ham have had over a year to target a striker and bring them in but we still haven’t despite being in the most attractive position we’ve been in for years. We can argue whether West Ham could draw that calibre of player or pay them the reported wages but if he does join Arsenal and fires them into the CL places, isn’t it worth it? Cabral’s contract expires next year whilst Belotti’s expires this year. Both should be easy enough to get, both would fit into our wage structure and both would improve our team. We’ve known that we need a Striker for quite some time so let’s get one of them done before we screw up any hope of CL football again.