Niclas Fullkrug’s exit from West Ham moves closer with an external source confirming to Claret and Hugh exclusively over the Christmas break the full details which saw the striker move from East London.
The source confirmed the social media post by Florian Pettenberg that AC Milan will cover his full wages, saving €1.3m (£1.1m) over the next six months with a €5m (£4.3m) option to buy in the summer. The Hammers initially paid £21m for the German international with add-ons which could take the deal, in theory, to £27.5m.
While many might point the finger at the then German West Ham director of football, Mr Tim Steidten, our source is not so sure.
Tim Steidten was forced into signing Fullkrug because West Ham wouldn’t pay the asking price for Jhon Duran
He explained that Steidten desperately wanted Jhon Duran at the time, but “the board deemed him too expensive”, so Lopetegui and Steidten eventually backed down and agreed to take Fullkrug, but didn’t play him after signing him. Graham Potter then came in and didn’t want to play with lots of crosses, so he hardly played the German striker either.
When Nuno Espirito Santo came in, he made it clear from day one that Fullkrug wasn’t in his plans.
Our source went on to say, to be fair to Fullkrug, no one actually gave him 6-7-8 games or played to his strengths, so who is really to blame?
Answers on a postcard
Yes, it’s on Steidten. Just because Duran became too expensive doesn’t mean we had to go out and get an older striker for an outrageous price like that. That was Steidten hooking up his buddy agent with a nice deal. Could’ve gone and gotten a better fit and a younger player, but he didn’t. Even Sullivan escapes blame on this one.
Just because his boss would not bankroll Tim’s dream was no excuse for him not to do a good job.
Of course Tim Steidten is culpable. Nobody is to blame for Niclas Fullkrug’s unforeseen injuries. You’re totally correct, Sean. No manager has tried to get anything from Fullkrug’s talents.
We should never signed Fulkrug from the start. It wa a panic buy on a player by far past his best.
Injury prone, slow and paid far too much for him
I just wish we would stop looking ad midfield layers as I think the most important is a young, prolific and injury free striker maybe two, but not Beto.
Also we need to get this done quickly, as soon as the window opens we need some players ready to sign and play from day one
There is only one person to blame Sullivan
Surely footballers can’t expect to be one-trick-ponies, what with three money they are paid. Good players adapt and if they can’t then they aren’t worth signing. We always seem to look for someone to blame for a poor signing but isn’t the player the one in control of their efforts and abilities
It’s still down to Steidten. It is not unusual (certainly for us!) to not get your first choice for a number of reasons. So you go to your second choice. That was Fulkrug. Steidten’s choice.
As an aside, I believe Duran has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, so whilst not ending his career immediately it will undoubtedly impact and (in fine Hammers tradition) reduce any on sale valuation.
To me the blame lies fully with Sullivan for his poorly implemented version of a Director of Football
The key requirement of this position is that the DOF and Head Coach need to work closely together – what we had last year was the farce of “one for me” (Guilherme) “one for you” (Kilman) and “one for the owner” (Summerville) – that is the thing that will get us relegated
It’s interesting that at the beginning of the season Villa started really badly but then parted ways with Monchi their DOF and are now doing brilliantly
So a DOF needs careful consideration
Sullivan.
If we’d paid the £3m more for Duran we’d have had…
1. No reason to buy Fullkrug.
2. A player who was immediately worth more than we paid for him and a profit when he moved on.
3. A striker who would have probably been a success.
I really do not understand the decision not to pay the bit extra, it makes no sense however it’s looked at. It cost us a potential profit and a likely successful player so a high cost situationally.
Fulkrug is to blame. He showed no interest of playing.
No effort but strolling around the pitch hoping he wasn’t injured. Good riddance.
Villa were never going to let Duran come to West Ham at a realistic price plus Duran was attracted by Saudi league ridiculous wages. Has anyone heard of him again?
It was Sullivans tightness that meant we lost out on Duran who imo would have turned out a great signing. But that also doesn’t exonerate TS for giving his mate NF a nice little earner