Well known for ‘trying and failing’ to buy top-level players, West Ham have ‘form’ going back years when it comes to trying to placate the fan-base with platitudes at the end of a failed transfer window, merely stating ‘we tried’ to bring in top players but inevitably having zero to show at the end of a window full of hype.
Fans on the Claret and Hugh forum complain endlessly about the club making offers for players that were never, ever going to be accepted, just as ‘window dressing’ for appearances’ sake.
Most recently the winter Jhon Duran dèbacle – where the Hammers lodged a £57 million offer knowing full well that Aston Villa wanted £70 million and that their offer would be refused – left fans feeling that the West Ham were at it again.
Without wishing to tempt fate, it seems as if there is something different happening this May. Bear with me. With June just over the horizon, all of the reports (except perhaps the Jack Grealish fantasy) are of the Hammers being linked with young players, nineteen, twenty, twenty one , players on their way up rather than ‘unattainables’ at the top of their game and therefore out of the Hammers’ price bracket.
Take a look around the reports , all of the players are up-and- coming talents, nearly all are under £25m and many are £15-20 million.
The pacy midfield, for example, that would transpire if West Ham signed just two from: Richard Rios, Raphael Onyedika, Mario Stroekyens, Josh Brownhill, Carney Chukwuemeka, James McAtee, Shea Charles and Morten Frendrup, all of whom were linked with the Irons in reports just today.
All share youth, pace, affordability and – dare I say it – West Ham – level ambition. The picture is the same in the ‘striker’ department: all are young and inexpensive which to me shouts of ‘possible’ deals. Not ‘improbable’.
No more Hammers ’tilting at windmills’? We’ll find out in the coming three months but the early signs suggest the Hammers are indeed getting real and planning to pursue players they can both afford and realistically hope to bring to London Stadium.
You can shoot me down in September if I’m wrong and West Ham have just a couple of thirty-six year old donkey midfielders obtained on free ‘Bosman’ transfers and a litany of ‘we tried and failed’ transfer targets.
The comments just make me laugh. I am not a Sullivan fan at all but in the last few years he has done all that was asked. We have spent a fortune, he has stopped talking in the press, until Steident going he has kept well out of transfers, He brought in “The pearl diver” and it was only two years ago we won a European trophy. Ok you can say it was wrong to go with Lopitegui but he did turn Wolves around, was manager of a fantastic Spain side and Real Madrid. I can’t say I wanted him but you can’t argue with his CV.
We were tipped as an outside bet for top 4 at the start of the season by a lot of the pundits so you can’t complain about recruitment or Lopitegui at the start of the season. It became obvious the language barrier and lopitegui’s task master attitude didn’t work and to Sullivan’s credit he did what he doesn’t normally do and pulled the trigger quickly. He brings in Potter who in his first half of his first game had us looking like world beaters. Summerville and Fulkrug both get long term injuries and a dodgy corner and we lose the game and the rest of the season is set. This coming season I am sure will be a good mix of current established players and youngsters new and current in cup games. We will have a good cup run and a mid table finish and a good platform to build on.
Brilliant, WJO.
Really good to read your sensible, factual and reasoned argument.
More comments like yours and I’ll be a Happy Hammer. Beats the doom and gloom and the ‘told you so’ analyses so often expressed here.
COYI
You mean the position originally taken up by the popular choice of Noble?
Who vetoed Duran?
As for not letting Steident choose the manager, is that really his role and would people have not blamed Sullivan for giving Steident too much say had one of his picks not worked out as per Moyes parting shots.
He went for an established manager with pedigree had he taken a punt on the guy that went to Brighton that Steident wanted you lot would have all said it’s cos he was cheap. Had Amorim come in and failed as spectacularly as he has at Man Utd it would have been because Sullivan didn’t put the right biscuits out during the negotiations.
Mark Noble is NOT the director of football, do you even know what the role of DOF actually is? I wouldnt blame you for that since we have never had a proper one,
THEY are supposed to make all the footballing decisions, THEY are supposed to chose the head coach and playing staff to fit in with the club vision and playing style required.
instead we end up with a half arsd technical director role whereby sullivan continues to have ultimate power of decisions that should otherwise be fully delegated (see above), which have proved to be poor ones, yet again.
Sullivan vetoed Duran because he ws considered too risky for the price, he then goes back in with an even higher (failed) offer in january once he had banged in a load of goals, go figure.
Loppy was chosen exclusively by sullivan becuase he was deemed the best FREE candidate.
To use your example. Brighton actually had to pay for Fabian Hürzeler since he was employed by another club at the time (can you imagine?) that is not cheaper than loppy then is it. who cost nothing in compensation,
well at least until sullivan finally corrected his mistake.
I consider only EVER limiting ourselves to hiring free unemployed managers / head coaches taking the real cheap punt.
no one would blame sullivan for giving away FULL control to a dof (which is what the role is supposed to be) , even if things didnt go well, because NO ONE wanted sully to be making footballing decisions anymore, and the last year has simply compounded the reasons why.
Noble came in as director of football but gave it up and is now sporting director. So yes I do know what that role is. You obviously don’t as that’s what he was. As for Hurzeler whilst there was minimal compensation he would not have been as expensive in terms of contract as Loppy.
Just keep whinging and blaming it all on Sullivan if it makes you feel better.
Thanks Taffyhammer. Just trying not to over react and trying to see things without an agenda.
I’m not a Sullivan fan but I can’t see to much wrong (concession increase aside) that they have done of late.
Sullivan went with all/most of what Steident wanted and let him get on with things.
W
Sullivan has not done ‘all he was asked ‘because that would mean hiring a dof to do a proper job and cease meddling in footballing affairs.
Instead he hires a ‘technical director ‘ which is basically a negotiator come adviser for himself . Who was often ignored.
As a result steidten was not allowed to choose his head coach , Sullivan went against his advise and choose the ‘best ‘ cheapest option.m instead.
Steidten was not allowed exclusive control of transfers and vetoed from signing Duran. Then goes back in for him at an even higher price next window ?
It transpires that 3/4 people were picking transfers (Sullivan included of course ) if that’s not a recipe for disaster ?
Sullivan has taken us backwards because if his own poor decisions and cannot trust someone better suited (a dof) to make them instead.
Don’t go flying in September Martin.
Nothing wrong with ‘old donkeys’ as long as they can do a job. A good team is a blend of talents combining to create a winning machine.
Of course, we will be signing some 5 & 6 year olds to lower the average age profile to keep the age moaners happy.
COYI
Some of the players who might be brought in, sound good and what we need. They will change the team, but a lot depends on who they KEEP – both aspects need to be handled correctly.
If the idea is to sell the best simply because they are sellable, you’ll have very little to build from and that is what we are doing: Strengthening & adding. Buying 3-5 players is not a rebuild so equally important is who you keep.
Should not sell Kudus & Paqueta and personally I would keep Paqueta who really plays for the team. You cannot find players like him for 20M. Have a ball winner (Onyedika?), legs around him + Earthy, Potts, maybe one more experienced player too.
The point is having the mix of experience, talent, youth, energy, raw potential, etc. Need to get the balance right. That is how every midfied works if it is any good.
but in response to the article great to see the emphasis on youth, talent and potential being added to the team. Still, for me, regarding the team for 25/26 that is only one side of the coin.
As with all things in life, when you take corrective action it needs to be balanced and avoid lurching from one extreme to the other.
I mean the players listed are not elite level youngsters, and we seem to be in full ‘lurch to the other extreme’.
IMO we’ll do amazingly well to avoid relegation next season, with the unsaleable leftovers in the current squad post firesale, coupled with a bunch of second or third tier untried kids from the lesser lights of the continent to replace established internationals.
Where is the balance? This Club is sinking, and the captain of the ship (Sullivan) appears to have his fingers in his ears while shouting ‘la-la-la-la’ repeatedly. He’ll ultimately get what his mismanagement deserves, and then the fans will be the ones who truly lose out.
Get ready for a Burnley-style ride… it’s coming.
Such pessimism, before there’s even been a transfer window or a ball kicked!
Sold down the river by Sullivan and Brady years ago with the ‘World class players for a world class stadium’ don’t forget the old within 5 years we will be hosting Champions league football here 😂😂
We have been left behind and embarrassed in the Premier league by the likes of Newcastla and Villa in there Champions league exploits and just as a club the likes of Bournemouth, Brighton, Forest, Fulham,Brentford,Palace are all in a.much healthier stable position than this Mickey Mouse run club and it’s all down to Sullivan.
Nothing will ever change here untill that pygmy porno peddler has gone and we have been bought out (never going to happen),I expect it to get far worse before it gets any better with relegation looming,maybe that’s what we need to move forward in a strange way to get relegated,where we would then become a much better looking and cheaper project for a new owner to come along and invest in…..
Champions league football 🤣🤣🤣 more like Championship football here we come
Are you a Millwall fan or something?
I agree if you believe the rumours Potter definitely appears to be keen on strengthening the midfield and attack with a particular emphasis on younger players. If the following targets are to be believed.
Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Defensive Midfielder) 24
James McAtee (Manchester City, Attacking Midfielder) 22
Hamed Traorè (Bournemouth, Midfielder) 23
Yann Bisseck (Inter Milan, Centre-Back) 24
Albian Hajdari (Lugano, Centre-Back) 22
Brian Brobbey (Ajax, Striker) 22
Ricardo Pepi (PSV, Striker) 22
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Chelsea, Midfielder) 25
Do any of these actually strengthen though? For sure they change it…but hard to say strengthen when you look at the calibre of player they’re due to replace.
If Potter uses the same ultra conservative tactics I don’t think it matters how good, fast or young they are. And he also wants to lower our squad to 20 players I think we are doomed
Martin this is total and utter Gonads
Was Josh Brownhill added to see if people were actually paying attention to the article..?
I mean he turns 30 not long into next season and even if the article was written a decade ago, he’s not exactly known for his pace.
Don’t get me wrong, he’d be a good signing (more dependable than exciting) but he doesn’t fit with literally any of the other names listed there.
Well spotted!
Sneaking in Brownhill like we wont notice.
Which we all know is DS target as he is chasing him for 4 years
You can shutdown the club if we bring him. If DS again has fingerprints over our most important summer ahead and once again set us back but this time to Championahip.
It tells us we all want SULLIVAN OUT
Are you mentally imbalanced?
Speak for yourself, but please, DO NOT put your tongue in my mouth.
I share your sentiment Martin but Brownhill is 30 later this year, so not so youthful.