Slav’s defence of signings rings hollow

I’m always prepared to admit that things can get lost in translation with foreign managers.

However, even allowing for that, I found Slaven’s discussion on the new signings and how they would eventually come good bamboozling to put it mildly.

Here’s what the boss had to say on the likes of Zaza, Tore, Feghouli, Nordtveidt and various others: “With some of the new players, we can say they didn’t hit the ground running straight away or they are not showing what we wanted or why we bought them in the first place.

“But they came to a new league, this is the Premier League, I’m not saying it’s better but it’s definitely different to the leagues they were in before.”

OK, allowances can be made on a short term basis but what we are seeing at West Ham this season is around 10 new recruits, none of whom can cut it with the possible exception of Fernandes.

Excuse me but I find it absolutely impossible to accept that they all suffered a collective loss of form at the same time – like from the start of the season – and that we will soon (or eventually) see vastly improved players.

I’m an admirer of Slaven’s honest approach to everything and I’m sure he believes that what he is saying is correct. It’s just that I completely disagree.

I would love to be proved wrong but my view is these are just poor to average players with nothing much more to offer than we’ve seen so far and it’s that which is at the root of our problems.

I still believe we will stagger through this season and escape relegation but if Slav was responsible for okaying these arrivals that really is very worrying.

For there’s no guarantee it can’t happen again is there?hr