I have been one of big Diafra Sakho’s biggest supporters since he arrived at the club…love the bloke as a player.
His virtues are well known and at his best he gives West Ham an entirely different dimenson.
Talk to ex pros and they will tell you of his abilities to move defenders about, his ability to go through the middle or play wide, his strength in the air, ability to create space and more makes him the perfect front man. At his best he a top top player.
However, his attitude this summer – which has clearly been emerging since the end of last – has been deplorable. People I respect told me he was trouble but I wasn’t ready to listen, believing that he would settle down and behave himself.
I couldn’t have been more wrong…and I am truly sad and upset that he has made it clear West Ham is part of his past.
I’m told by reliable insiders that the bottom line problem is dough and that he believes he’s worth a lot more than £30k a week.
He probably is but there’s one rather big problem – his injury record which doesn’t appear to be improving – and which may or may not inhibit the move he wants. That’s why Sunderland said they would only pay £12 m – NOT ENOUGH – if he completed 30 games a season for three campaigns.
The easy fix is to give him what he wants of course which is probably another £10k to £15k a week but given those injuries is that good business, paticularly as he has now demonstrated, he has plenty of attitude?
The offiicial “sick bug” explanation for him missing the American trip was quickly overtaken by events and now we are locked into a scenario where he is refusing to join the squad in Austria.
If that is true – and one has to be careful when commenting from a distance, then it’s deplorable and wrecks any suggestion of repsonsible or professional behaviour.
We have all become upset at the way we are treated by employers at times – or at the wages we are paid – but it doesn’t mean that we should refuse to do our jobs.
Were we to do so we would put in ourseves where very charge of unprofessionalism is fully justified. And if is all as it seems then I am afraid Sakho is guilty of the worst kind of behaviour.
The two Davids have been here before when as owners of Birmingham City they had a similar situation with a certain Robbie Savage who put the same sort of screws on when wanting a move to Blackburn Rovers.
That went on for ages simply because the midfielder wanted to play under his favourite Welshman and boss, Mark Hughes.
Before he finaly left he was forced to run the gauntlet of angry fans when turning out for the ‘stiffs’ in front of a thousands who turned up to give him a seriously hard time under Steve Bruce. Finally of course he moved on for good money as I have no doubt Sakho will.
Slaven Bilic has shown he takes no prisoners as was the case with Morgan Amalfitano and he may decide against the Bruce way of doing things preferring rather to get Sakho out as quickly and quietly as possible. One things for sure, Slav has no time for drama queens.
However it’s done, one thing is certain. Sakho has let the fans down, the club down , his emploters down but chiefly himself.
I go out where I started. Love you as a player Sak but this behaviour – if all is as it seems – does you no credit. In fact, it’s appalling.
He has SERIOUSLY crossed the line with his PATHETIC attitude.He has now become the NO.1 MUPPET!…GET RID!!!
Hard one. West ham have made him feel unwanted and now hes tipping us b******s. Its like when you keep threatening to dump your missus then one day she walks out and calls your bluff. You’d like to think now he is over his injury he could bang in 15 20 goals this season, but we have been down that road with AC. On the flip side I cant see Slav having a bar of it and you do feel like saying off you go then son. He will get a hard time from the home fans if hes with us next season. (That is until he scores his first goal!)
Very well said Hugh.
He plays when he wants, he plays when he wants……
As Hugh writes, I’ve always admired Sakho, but everything has its limits… he’s acting like a spoiled baby, I think that it’s time for action, pack his toys and tell him to fu#c off. 😉
And carol ?
Not even a mention he’s on 3 times that of sakho .
Sakho’s gone , but not to compare carol is being selective , Hugh ,
Carols contract has been obscene !
And he’s carrying a new one ! You couldn’t make it up , could you !!
Works his socks off on the pitch.
Tw*ts his socks off, off it.
Remember the car crash? Remember the arrest for assault on his girlfriend? Remember last season’s reaction to being told he wasn’t in the starting 11?
Such a shame – just another ego thinking he’s bigger than the team.
Needs a good kick in the Sak. Off you go son.
Plucked from the French footballing obscurity & now thinks he is billy big bolloxs.Let him jog on.I can’t believe he gets any sympathy,poor soul only on 27k a week.Let him go play at WBA or Sunderland in a relegation fight.It will serve him right.
Let’s get things into perspective – none of us have been there!! ….The media will magnify anything they can for a story. If there’s any way we can keep Sakho, we should. He’s had two ‘half’ seasons for the club during which time he was injured for long periods. Sakho’s 44 appearances including subs, reaped 15 goals. Wherever he plays a full season this year he will get another 15. However, I trust in Slaven’s judgement if he’s allowed to leave.
One minute Sak’s problem is because of the money, the next minute it isn’t. Does ANYONE effing know?
Whichever, he has gone about much of this the wrong way – END OF. If he had grievances, he should have communicate them in a proper fashion. Then if the club was blind to them, he should then have put in a transfer request.
Instead he has has a massive amount of issues, effing everyone around and where no-one knows what the f*ck is going on….
AND FOR THAT, personally, I would do an Amalfitano on him. He is NOT a team player, and NEEDS TO BE MADE AN EXAMPLE OF:
Don’t put up his money, fine him for his refusal to go to Austria, then let him rot, well away from the 1st team, let him understand that the only way back is by exemplary behaviour.
If then he BEGS to get back, if plays well in the 1st team and runs the deserved gauntlet of booing from the fans, shows the world he is not just another ‘Morrison’, THEN he can go and get better money elsewhere.
We have treated him cheaply, but his reactions have been far worse…. I’m SICK of him.
Absolutely spot on ctm. We found him and brought him out of obscurity in the french second tier. Now all of a sudden he has to be the number one,big banana Charlie big ********. some criticise Carrol for the wages he’d on but has he ever refused to play,train,or travel. 15 goals in 40 odd games don’t earn him superstar status