When Sebastien Haller left West Ham to join Ajax most observers thought that he would do well in Holland and thrive in a less competitive environment than the Premier League, but NO ONE thought that he would go on to become a Champions League record breaker!
Haller's departure initially looked as if it had been planned, why else would the club have parted company with one of the club's only two strikers at a loss of around £25 Million? Surely David Moyes had a 'cunning plan' up his sleeve that he was about to reveal, unfortunately the story ends there in that no replacement arrived, but Haller continues to make headlines AND have an influence on Hammers players fortunes.
We may never know exactly why a replacement wasn't brought in for Haller, but many suspect there was a financial black hole that suddenly needed attention and that Moyes, ever a Team man, chose to NOT have a go at the owners. Moyes' discreet attitude to the Hammers' hierarchies lack of funding at the time could be as a result of having Bill Kenwright as his chairman while he was at Everton, during the times when they were flat broke.
Every time Haller makes the headlines, it causes an accountant somewhere in the West Ham camp to break out into a cold sweat, but it's not only the bean counters Haller haunts! Säid Benrahma's Algerian team are in serious danger of being knocked out at the group stage of the AFCON tournament, despite being the favourites.
Algeria MUST beat Ivory Coast in order to progress, one of the main reasons is because Ivory coast have one 'Sebastien Haller' playing for them, it was Haller's goal against Sierra Leone that ensured the winner takes all game. At least Hammers cannot face Ajax in the Europa League this season, because you can bet your house on him scoring against the Irons when and if he gets the chance in the future. - LN
Comments
Haller should have been
Haller should have been retained until the end of the Season rather than shipping him in the January transfer window. He was scoring although not consistently. Yes, his pace let him down, but Moyes and the Coaching staff should have drilled him more thoroughly during the midweek training to build up his stamina and pace. After all he is not an obese individual.
To be fair as they say. You
To be fair as they say. You cant polish a turd. Moyes tried to introduce a concept to Haller including the words work and run. It seems Haller had no grasp of that concept. In any way shape or form. Some things in life are just a natural fit, like Marks & Spencer or Lennon and McCartney. West Ham and Haller were polar opposites and therefore I will never lose any sleep over it, irrespective of what he goes on to achieve long term..
The subject
Has been done to death,I keep hearing from fellow hammers that we didn't play to his strengths!!;) Do me a favour the geezer didn't want to be here,I could have put more effort in & I'm 57 & havnt played for a good 30 years...Get over it I say like Boogers says he was a dud,a missfit & the most expensive one ever to boot