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Pyrrhic Victory Outcry As Hammers Cash In On Diangana

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Wed, 02/09/2020 - 18:41

Without the possibility of selling season tickets at the full rate as opposed to the '30% option' that most fans have elected to take, the powers that be at West Ham United have come up with a 'cunning plan' to make up the difference, so cunning that it defies a 'normal' person's logic but never the less is 'totally' practicable. The 'normal' need to 'flog' season tickets with future 'aspirational' or potential marquee signings has been somewhat obviated due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so in a way the co-owners have been let of the hook, no one in their right mind thought that there would be investment any where near the levels of when the 'Pelligrinophile' was in charge.

To make up for the loss of revenue from season ticket sales and from match day catering and club shop sales, the club needed to find around £20 Million, then there is the loss of revenue from the Broadcasters as they sought a rebate for 'live games' that couldn't be shown live! The need for additional future 'adapted' finances was obvious since the beginning of April, and it was assumed that the club had taken the necessary precautions to avoid financial meltdown. Two factors now come in to play, as we have mentioned in previous articles FFP is not in contention for the coming season, so clubs are at liberty to spend 'beyond their means' to help them through what has been and will continue to be a set of unique circumstances.

So with FFP no longer an obstacle, why are the Hammers co-owners strangling any attempt that their 'incumbent' manager David Moyes may have of picking up players, even those from the 'bargain basement' provided by clubs even less fortunate? It is well known that West Ham United, along with several other Barclays Premier League teams, take a 'payday loan' annually against future TV revenues, and although such loans are now not acceptable when factored in to 'current' accounting, they can still be taken as long as they are paid up within a 12 month time frame.

West Ham's hierarchy and their accountants will have set their various fiscal limits prior to the Covid situatuion, and as such were victims to the crisis, unfortunately the timing could not have been worse as the club was reeling from the effects of trying the 'luxurious option' in the form of Manuel Pellegrini, his scatter shot approach to signings almost made those of the two Davids' seem logical! Teams that are essentially 'state owned' like Manchester City and other 'elite clubs' with massive financial backing, will be able to 'ride the wave' and look forward to prospering, with the distinct possibility of 'acquiring talent' at pernicious rates.

Neither David Sullivan nor David Gold, nor even 'Tripp' Smith are particularly wealthy by Football owners standard's, in fact they are relative paupers when it comes to Barclays Premier League clubs, and their 'minor wealth' is tied up in long term investments and as such they do not have the financial liquidity needed in the short term in order to keep things afloat. David Sullivan's wealth is based on a large property portfolio, much of which is 'prime' office and reatail space based in the West End and City of London.

Now faced with a massive drop in income, Sullivan is not currently able to 'bale the club out' as he has done in the past, albeit with loans that made him a decent profit. The 'panic' costly sales of Roberto, Hugill and to some extent that of Ajeti go to show just how bad things really are. The culmination of the 'fiscal issue' is the sale of Grady Diangana, the stark choice the board had, and we in no way sanction their eventual action as we believe they are mistaken, was to sell at least one of the club's home grown jewels.

This course of action was deemed necessary because the club has been unable to shift ANY of it's 'luxury' players at anywhere near a half decent price, there has been the odd loan offer for them, but the only players of interest to other clubs are the ones the club simply cannot afford to release. So it was going to be either, Grady Diangana, Issa Diop, Pablo Fornals or Declan Rice who was going to be the 'sacrificial lamb', fans well aware of how the co-owners have been known to behave in the past, particularly when they owned Birmingham City FC, will be fearful that it won't only be Diangana to exit the London Stadium.

Diangana's departure is a shameful and damning indightment of previous failures at the club, failures that are coming back to bite with a vengeance, the club is broke, the only honourable thing to do would be for the owners to sell up, they would still make a 'killing' even in today's depressed market, because either they make a killing or they might just 'kill off' a once proud and great club. -Ed

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Shame On Them-Diangana To 'Debag'!

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Wed, 02/09/2020 - 13:50

Having only just recently published an article highlighting Hammers' recruitment issues and player retention, we find ourselves nonplussed by the proposed transfer of Grady Diangana to West Bromwich Albion for an initial fee as low as £12 Million! £12 Million for an England U-21 player who has already proven himself in the top flight is an absolute steal for Slaven Billic's Baggies, if anyone doubted how broke the Irons were then this transfer should focus their mind.

Fans have already been preparing themselves for the loss of Declan Rice, or Pablo Fornals and or Grady Diangana, inevitably there will be some 'trite' rolled out about how the player was seeking first team appearance guarantees that the manager couldn't and wouldn't give him, but the reality is one of Diangana, Fornals or Rice was always going to go and the 'perceived wisdom' was that selling hot prospect Diangana would have the least collateral fall out. £12 Million in wages is just about what the club have paid Jack Wilshere over the last couple of seasons, shame on the board for selling one of the club's prized assets, and shame on Pellegrini for leaving the club in such dire straights that it has to sell it's future!

And if a certain player feels a little bit guilty about the fact that in order to pay their wages a top talent has to be sold, then so be it, they should feel truly awful and consumed with guilt. - Ed

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Between A Rock And A Hard Place: Rice, Diangana & Fornals

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Wed, 02/09/2020 - 12:27

According to the Telegraph West Brom have had a bid of £12 Million for Grady Diangana accepted by West Ham United, more news to follow Normally, well at least for the last ten years, West Ham fans have become accustomed to the usual "We've backed the manager to the hilt, but in order to comply with FFP we are unable to fund any more acquisitions without player departures". This season is different in many ways, obviously the Covid-19 Pandemic has had an acute effect on club finances right across the board, however in order to 'negate' the issue of short term financial difficulty FFP has been suspended for TWELVE months!

So the old FFP chestnut cannot be rolled out as an excuse for a lack of investment, in fact a quick and envious glance at most of the other teams in the Barclays Premier League, and indeed particularly those who have just been promoted from the Championship, reveals 'significant' player acquisitions and further intent. So what are the options for David Moyes and the West Ham board? The sell to buy mantra is falling on the 'deaf ears' of most fans who cannot believe the club's lack of transfer activity compared to everyone else's.

If, and it is a very big if, there is NO money available then the club's options are clear, (a) * The fans' favourite choice, the co-owners sell the club (b) The club sells Pablo Fornals (c) **The club sells Grady Diangana (d) The Doomsday option, the club sells Declan Rice. Sadly option (a) Isn't going to happen any time soon, if at all, option (b) the sale of Fornals would generate much needed funds, however his value will be so much higher next season, the same applies to option (c) The sale of Grady Diangana, Grady is another player who will only go up in value, selling him now will be a short term benefit but a long term loss.

Finally we reach the Doomsday option, the sale of Declan Rice. Ahead of discussing Declan's possible departure from the club, it is worth thinking about what would happen if Fornals and Diangana were sold, their combined sale would release around £40-45 Million. David Moyes could use up every penny in order to fill the gaping chasm that is the Hammers defence, the need for two full backs is clearly obvious as is the need for a back up striker and a midfield enforcer.

Of course the beginning of the season is just a few days away, although the transfer window has uniquely been extended until 11pm on Monday 5th October 2020 for clubs to complete their dealings, however, Premier League and EFL clubs will have an extended exclusive window from 5th October until 11pm on the 16th October. During this period, only transfer deals between one Premier League and one EFL club can take place. Premier League teams cannot do deals with each other or foreign clubs in this time.

So, with around five weeks left in the window there is still plenty of time for things to happen, unfortunately most of the early 'bargains' have already been snapped up, consequently the next phase of the window is usually all about 'brinkmanship' and who blinks first. West Ham will probably sell Rice, it is only a question of when not if, but it would be a business 'folly' of the highest order if the club's hierarchy accept anything less than Rice's true value which is around £80 Million, talk of Chelsea knowing that West Ham will eventually crack and thereby lower their price is common place.

Rice isn't too good for West Ham, he is in the mould of Rio Ferdinand, and where might the Irons be if they hadn't taken the 'shilling' from Leeds United when they sold Rio for £18 Million? Of course Leeds then nearly doubled their investment when they sold him to Manchester United! Business is business, and if the club end up selling their prized asset, it had better be for top dollar otherwise there will be hell to pay, when you are stuck between a rock and a hard place sometimes there is no where else to go other than the fastest exit. -Ed

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Grady Diagana gone to West Brom

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Submitted by cast iron on Wed, 02/09/2020 - 11:15

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Hope this report is wrong but just read that in the Birmingham Mail that Grady Diagana has gone to West Brom for 12million pounds what is this board up to letting one of our best players go for absolute peanuts he's got to be worth at least 18 million think its time this board got out of football and let somebody take over that really cares about the club. Fed up with Sullivan telling us he lived at 424 green street just go back there and PI$$ off and stop ruining our club, if this is true He needs a check-up from the neck up! Useless!

Moyes Targets Abraham

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Mon, 31/08/2020 - 10:48


Trying to 'freshen up' a very stale and disproportionate squad with no additional funding is proving to be a thankless task for Hammers manager David Moyes, one 'target' after another seems to have been snatched away from the club as other teams, particularly the newly promoted ones, continue to 'blow' West Ham out of the water with their superior finances that they have available.

The list seems endless of players 'linked' with a move to the London Stadium but who end up elsewhere, so why? The obvious answer is there is NO money available unless it has been generated by player sales, normally that would be a major but not insurmountable issue, but in the current Post Covid-19 climate executing such sales is a difficult ask, and it is damn near impossible to achieve the values of a year ago.

Hammers are victims of trying to mix it with the big boys just as everyone has had their 'pants pulled down', sadly in the case of West Ham the co-owners 'blag it and bluff it' approach to player acquisitions has left the club in an extremely vulnerable position. Too much money spent on too many 'average' players, ridiculously long contracts and lucrative wages handed out like confetti have all combined to create an 'imperfect' storm, unfortunately one that is going to rip through the very core of the club before it dissipates.

Essentially West Ham United have only two players who are really coveted by other teams, those players are DECLAN RICE and ISSA DIOP, their combined potential sale value is in excess of £125 Million! An accountant would simply say "sell them, and your money troubles are over, at least in the short term", however selling either of these talented players who should be the future of the club would risk an outright fan revolt, and the fall out from selling both of them can hardly be countenanced.

Moyes knows he has a seriously difficult task ahead of him as he tries to add value to the 'big name' signings of Sebastien Haller and Felipe Anderson who have set the club back around £85 Million. While other clubs move forward Moyes is having to fight a rear guard action, and we have been told that Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham is of interest to David Moyes, any deal would be a season long loan or possibly just a loan until January, which may suit all parties.

There would then be time for Moyes to have either 'converted' Haller, or for him to be prepared for sale in the next transfer window. It's Moyes 'Gem Puzzle' nightmare coming to fruition, but then again, he does earn a few quid as manager doesn't he?

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The Good The Bad & The Ugly-Irons v Bees

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Sat, 29/08/2020 - 18:39

Hammers ran out 'unconvincing' 2-1 victors over Brentford FC at the London Stadium this afternoon, there was much to appreciate but also reasons to be concerned, essentially in the defensive areas, especially in both right and left back positions. Neither Aaron Cresswell, nor particularly Ryan Fredericks, covered themselves in glory in a performance that David Moyes had mixed thoughts about as can be noted during his post match interviews.

"I wasn’t feeling so good at half-time because I didn’t think we played very well [in the first half], so I was a bit disappointed with our performance, but look, we’re in pre-season, we knew how it was going to be and we chopped and changed the team today. We gave most of the players 45 minutes so it was always going to be a little up and down. Ultimately, it was a good exercise for us. Brentford are a good team as people know. It was never going to be an easy game wherever you play them."

Moyes continued, "I think you saw the difference in terms of the quality of the opposition. Quite easily Brentford could have been a Premier League team this season as we’re all aware. There were bits of the game we were happy with and bits that we weren’t. I thought we improved and were much better in the second half. We controlled the game a bit more in the second half.I think we look a threat and we look like we can score and because of that it’s always going to give us a chance. I thought they did really well. Ben is a young player but obviously he’s more used to being in the first team, but the likes of Josh Cullen and Connor Coventry were given time as well. We’ve tried to give them opportunities, but we’ve got a strong squad of senior players with the best part of two teams today. We wanted to give as many of them 45 minutes as we could and we’re just a little short at centre back which meant we couldn’t change them around."

Well, the attacking part of the game was industrious from both teams, but ultimately rewarding for West Ham, so that was the GOOD, however it was clear to see that the midfield, that featured Jack Wilshere in the first half, was rather light weight and repeatedly let the opposition forwards through the centre of the pitch, they were the BAD. And finally the full backs, they were the UGLY, and even though funds are extremely limited, David Moyes must somehow get the co-owners to cough up for at least ONE additional full back, preferably two!

Michail Antonio's withdrawal, following two 'unpleasant' tackles that impacted on his upper thigh area, was a warning for the future and showed how he is only one bad tackle away from the 'sick room'. On the plus side, Sebastien Haller ran like he had a rocket up his backside, probably courtesy of a certain Mr 'Pearce and Love', in fact on more than one occasion he had to track back the entire length of the pitch in order to cover for one of Frederick's numerous errors.

The youngsters who featured looked fine, Yarmolenko looked fit, despite receiving an unpleasant knock on his knee early doors, and both he and Soucek took their goals well. Attack GOOD, Midfield occasionally BAD, full backs UGLY....cue Morricone soundtrack as Moyes and Pearce look towards Sergio Leone for direction. - Ed

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West Ham United v Brentford FC Teams For Friendly

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Sat, 29/08/2020 - 13:06

West Ham: Fabianski, Fredericks, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Noble, Wilshere, Fornals, Yarmolenko, Diangana, Haller. Subs Randolph, Masuaku, Johnson, Cullen, Coventry, Soucek, Lanzini, Baptiste, Bowen, Anderson, Antonio.
Brentford: TBC

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Royals Visit Cancelled

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Sat, 29/08/2020 - 10:57

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The Curious case of the Reading 'missing' manager has resulted in the following statement from West Ham United:

West Ham United have confirmed that the planned friendly at Reading has been cancelled by the Sky Bet Championship club.

The two sides were set to go head to head at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday 1 September, kicking-off 4pm. However, the Berkshire outfit contacted the Hammers to state their schedule has now changed and that they would no longer be able to fulfil the fixture.

David Moyes’ men kicked off their return from a mini summer break with an intense five-day training camp in Scotland before they faced two teams simultaneously on Tuesday – Wycombe Wanderers and Ipswich Town – ensuring a vast majority of players got minutes under their belts.

Two further behind-closed-doors friendlies are still planned with Brentford set to visit London Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 2pm) prior to the Hammers hosting AFC Bournemouth on Saturday 5 September in the Betway Cup (kick-off 3pm), both of which games will be streamed live

West Hams football is getting better

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Submitted by Bondsy on Fri, 28/08/2020 - 21:25

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When David Moyes came to West Ham the first time he had failed at Man U. I personally did not like his style of football at the time but he kept us in the Premier perhaps with too much hit and hope for me but it worked.
Second time round I thought he was doing it again as we struggled to win games before the lock down just hitting the ball anywhere up field out of defence as teams turned us over too many times.
Something changed during that period of lock down and though we lost at the restart we went on to win and draw our way out of the relegation zone with some very good football. The two pre-season games we are looking good although it was against lower opposition in Wycombe and Ipswich.
I just hope it continues when the Premier league starts again and when they let us back in the London Stadium I can enjoy my football and not sit there hoping we don't throw it away again.
Has David Moyes finally got West Ham playing again with confidence? I hope so and it does not turn out to be a false dawn as it was at Man U

There Is A God-Roberto Leaves-Wilshere Might Follow

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Fri, 28/08/2020 - 14:26

Rarely has there been such a sigh of collective relief by so many fans for so few, the prospect of Roberto Jiménez Gago's departure form West Ham, coupled with the prospect of Jack Wilshere being 'despatched' to the MLS has had many Irons supporters leaping for joy!

Finally the 'Malleresse' of Roberto can be expunged from the club, even his presence on the bench for the friendly on tuesday gave fans a bad bad feeling, fortunately that was his LAST appearance in any way shape or form for the Irons, asn it has now been confirmed that the error strewn keeper has left West Ham to join Real Valladolid on a free transfer. The 34-year-old had signed a two-year deal with the Hammers in May 2019 and made his full debut against Newport County in the EFL Cup last August. However errors - including pushing the ball into his own net against Burnley - blighted his time at West Ham, and he only made 10 appearances in total.

In January, he was sent on loan to Alaves for the rest of the season, with West Ham paying most of his £30,000 per week wages. Roberto conceded 17 goals, including three in each of three successive games in November.
Now to really perk fans up, Jack Wilshere is edging, or being pushed towards a loan deal in the MLS, it has to be a loan because no one, even the Americans, would be insane enough to want to sign him on anything other than a pay for play basis.

Of course if Wilshere goes to the MLS with the Hammers footing 70% of his salary, then there will be two Hammers players plying their trade at a loss to their parent club exceeding £130,000 per week, because as we all know, for some reason the club seem happy to pay 70% of Winston Reid's £80,000 per week for him so 'star' for Kansas City.

Profligacy, stupidity or a bit of both? - Ed

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