In a revelation reminiscent of ’80’s quiz show “here’s what you could have won” Bullseye – when losing contestants were made painfully aware of what they’d just lost -the transfer targets West Ham could have brought to London stadium on deadline day almost beggar belief.
Remember, the club were required to ‘sell before buying’ – but even with defender Nayef Aguerd sold for €21 million – about £17 million – it has now transpired that David Sullivan ducked and dived his way to NOT signing either of the club’s top centre back options on 1st September.
How the club may come to rue this decision in the future, if the journalist in question has his facts right.
Centre backs Charlie Cresswell and Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis were both available to buy on deadline day but Sullivan lowballed with loan-to-buy options, despite having the Aguerd cash ready to go. Alan Nixon revealed in his article “West Ham missed out on two centre halves” that either could have been bought outright for the same amount as the banked Aguerd cash – or less in Cresswell’s case.
It transpires that both Toulouse and Southampton had rejected ‘loan with options’ offers but both players were available for sale.
Either an England u21 European Championship winning defender or, in Harwood-Bellis’ case, a full England international, was within touching distance.
But, according to Nixon, Sullivan opted to save the transfer fee and instead secure the services of unwanted Brighton centre back Igor Julio on a ‘dry’ loan with no option, instead of shelling out the less-than £20 mill required to do the deal.
Short term-ism its worst. Cresswell in particular has a bright future and would have been an appreciating asset for the club, probably selling-on for double in three years.
Should anybody still be in any doubt as to why so many West Ham fans are behind the petition to get the Chairman to step away from the de facto Director of Football role he’s reprised this summer- and appoint proper professionals to run the club – this is the perfect example. Leave the club short, ignore the appreciating assets available but stick a loanee- a short term ‘sticking plaster’ fix in place to keep the cash in the bank. Very West Ham.
We are going to finish six or seventh this season, COYI
Why should Marcos Leonardo be signed?
Good goal scoring record. He’s available. Free agent.
Right age. No injuries. Whu need backup striker.
Why shouldn’t he be signed?
Sullivan has a cross to bear, he’s a Steidten recommendation.
Would rather keep Aguerd transfer fee in his wallet.
He cocked up by lo-ball bids on Cresswell and Harwood-Bellis lucky to get Igos.
Needs to make amends and get this signing over the line.
Genuine questions Martin as we seem to get conflicting reports re Lampard, failed bids etc which are just adding to fan’s discontent.
1 ) Can C&H or FAB ask for direct answers to specific questions from the board including:-
– lack of realistic transfer bids,
– no cohesive transfer strategy
– lowball offers such as these which have zero chance of success every window.
– Last minute blind panic and failure to sign replacement for Aguerd and a top striker?
2) Also can WH sites such as C&H /KUMB/ FAB attend press conferences, and ask Potter the questions which we all want answers too, instead of the usual bland questions reporters pose which never get a straight answer? At the moment the relationship between club, board and supporters is severely strained yet I have not seen any response to the notification of fan protests and calls to boycott the game. This head in the sand approach is clearly not working and ultimately could cost us PL survival if nothing changes. Yet nothing seems to emerge from the club?
Hmm. We might have to hang this over until tomorrow to reply….
Thanks Martin. It is time for the board to show more transparency and a genuine desire to respond positively to the issues raised by FAB and fan discontent.These issues have continued for years and it’s high tme the Board were held to account. Our Club’s Premiership survival depends on it. I look.forward to your response.
Yes spot on again, sums up very well how Sullivan is screwing up transfer windows and why we need serious professionals in the role with an actual plan.
The embarrassing loan of the Brighton CB is the short term ism summarised. He probably won’t play and will add nothing.
Then of course there is the CF problem, just waiting for Wilson to get injured and we are right in it.
Sullivan fails to deliver any vision or plan with scattergun panic buys and loans. I don’t understand how the the rest of the board can’t see the problem and do something,does Sullivan decide everything?
Cresswell too slow for premier league. It will be Harvey Elliot who will be the one that got away.
Got to say it – I resent Sullivan more than Levy of the Spuds, whom we have all disliked for decades. At least Levy was doing it for his club, Sullivan is definitely not acting in our clubs best interest whenever it clashes with his financial interests. He sells us down the river every time doing the least possible for our West Ham. He is the boil on our backside every time.
Nothing more to say about Sullivan that hasn’t already been said other than unfortunately the signs of senility are now rearing their head, any logic he did possess has gone out the window – he has to be made to stand down with immediate effect.
If we sign Cresswell early in January window could be good, who knows maybe Mavropanos might come good he was very highly rated in Germany prior to joining us, all our cb’s are good without being exceptional the wing backs by contrast are looking good now. Am genuinely curious as to how Potter will set us up for the Spuds game, hopefully to attack them am not confident in our cb’s and keeper yet so would prefer we try and blitz them and get a few goals
I am an avid reader of C&H but have to say that I find your relentless negativity to be dull and irritating. I understand your passion, but almost every article seems to be written through the lens of ‘the board are terrible and I am going to clutch at any straw to prove it’. With the greatest respect, please can you be more open-minded, because I think otherwise your audience will be reduced to those who share your relentlessly glass-half-empty mindset. Thank you!
relentlessly negative: erm 11.30 today : good news story. https://www.claretandhugh.info/good-news-for-potter-hammers-star-to-be-ready-and-available-for-tottenham/
For possibly the first time ever, I am starting to see media sympathy with our plight. A few journalists and pundits saying they feel sorry for West Ham fans and what we have to put up with from our board. This is most unusual and it’s taken them a long while to cotton on. But, maybe now his secrets out he will consider leaving. We live in hope.
For the first time I’m seeing the main stream sports media giving a platform to West Ham YouTubers and West Ham YouTubers pretty much all repeat and copy each others points of view for the most part.
Typical of Sullivan
Just wants to bank the money and has not a clue on the young players we could have had on very reasonable deals and would have been bargains which in years to come make us money
Is he a business man, I really don’t think so
It would be so nice if they would do the right thing and let someone in who will actually care for the club and not try to destroy it
He is beginning to be a bit of a laughing stock to us all
Embarrassing and not a clue on how to run a football club
If he had left Potter to have done the recruiting we would have had 4 or 5 more signings
Real shame
I am happy with what we signed but it is the ones that got away we will regret