Transfers – being cautious is fine by me!

From the ‘comments’ threads from many of our recent posts, (YES, we do read them all and actually do our best NOT to edit or remove your ‘replies’ unless they’re offensive or downright rude), there is a clear if somewhat unrealistic expectation amongst many of the replies published that the club are about to pull six new signings out of thin air by the end of next week.

Whilst scanning the dozens and dozens of new ‘sources’, Facebook posts and in-the-know ‘X’ Twitter feeds- some more ‘rumour’ and some ‘newsworthy’- each morning, sometimes interesting memories of previous transfer windows spring to mind: Especially those which turned out to be transfers made with clearly awful lapses of judgement.

So, when claiming that the club is dragging its feet, pursuing unrealistic targets or just avoiding spending, perhaps the flip side of that is that our management team are ‘taking a decent look at some of the options’ rather than repeating some of the transfer disasters of the past?

To argue the point in favour of caution, I’d politely remind you of the following:

Savio Nsereko

Signed for £9 million by Curbishley, which at the time was huge money for a teenager, but in 2009 was pretty much a record for West Ham. Came to huge hopes and expectations. Played just 10 times. No goals. No assists. Only claim to fame was later being arrested for faking his own kidnapping.
I am not brave enough to even THINK of drawing a comparison between Savio and our teen Brazilian signing this summer…

Simeone Zaza

June 2016 saw a £5 million loan signing from Juventus with an obligation to buy the forward after his successful Euro 2016 campaign. Looking mildly effective in our first pre-season game at London Stadium, none of us realised that – that was it, he’d peaked and the rest of his 11 appearances were downhill from that inauspicious start. Zero goals, needless to say he didn’t make enough appearances to turn the loan permanent. Thank god and sensible hindsight from our then Manager.

Marco Boogers

Cost £1 million in 1995, famous for being bought pretty much ‘unseen’ by Harry Redknapp and for an awful tackle on Gary Neville that earned him a red card in his second outing.At least he tackled like a forward. Played just four times before being shipped out to the Dutch league.

Benni McCarthy

Of course, before arriving at East London, Benni had been a pretty decent top tier striker, winning the Champions League. Trouble is, by the time he headed to West Ham he was twice the man – literally – of that successful striker who had enjoyed success with `Blackburn Rovers and FC Porto. Surprisingly, he squeezed himself into a claret shirt 14 times before his two year stint was finished and he retired, presumably to spend more time alone with his Just Eat app.

And finally – drumroll-

Roberto Jimenez

Gulp. No more moaning about Wes Foderingham now, is there?

In my own experience with  being a supporter for over fifty years, this must go down as the worst, utterly ***-***** (can’t write that but it rhymes with ‘cog-flyte’) transfer regardless of being a ‘free’. Eventually I suspect we’d have paid millions to send him away.  

This was the calamity that was our reserve ‘keeper Roberto. Dreadful errors, a stunning own goal punch into his own net and a wild, scared look in his eyes (almost as much as in the defenders around him) meant that his deputising for Fabianski was cut mercilessly short. David Martin, the third choice keeper hitherto sitting with his feet up all season, came to the rescue and dear Roberto was escorted out of the country never to be seen in even West Ham training kit – ever again. Still brings me out in a cold sweat just thinking of his name appearing on the team sheet.


Maybe, now, then, taking a little longer this window to make sure our Summer additions are actually worth their pay and the opportunity to wear the Claret and Blue shirt MIGHT be no bad thing: I’m as keen as anyone to hear good news, new recruits, money spent, contracts signed instead of  reams of  ‘could be, might be, possibly’: But weighed against the disasters listed above, I guess it is worth trusting our Sporting Director to make the judgement calls.

It is still June, England are still in the Euros and pre-season hasn’t started yet: I’m happy to wait a little longer knowing we WILL have new additions through the door long before deadline day.

Hopefully.

But – whilst I’m writing – did you hear the rumour posted by… ( sorry, can’t resist it)…