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June 14th Still A Way Off!

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Fri, 31/05/2024 - 06:59

As the media 'thunder wagon' of rumours gets up to full pelt it is worth remembering that contracted players cannot be signed before June the 14th, for International players the window doesn't open until July the 1st!

So all the names of potential arrivals are currently mere conjecture, given Hammers need almost a total squad rebuild the names mentioned are a plenty. One issue that has to be addressed is the 'home grown' issue. To that purpose Tim Steidten is looking to sign peripheral players like Wes Fotheringham for low wages to tick the required boxes, which seems rather prudent.

Buying old and resigning old players like the Sheffield keeper and Aaron Cresswell might seem like a backward step but they will help fill the quota at minimum cost, whereas young English and GB players attract a massive premium.

One suspects there is going to be quite a lot of smoke and mirrors involved in the REAL Steidten player targeting, but unlike previous transfer windows the signs are that he intends to get Hammers business done quickly in order to provide his head coach with the tools of the trade well ahead of the beginning of the season, that in itself is worth between three and ten extra points per season.

As things stand the potential Paqueta windfall has all but evaporated, but if the player gets his head down and plays to his undoubted abilities the club will surely benefit and NOT have to find a like for like replacement.

If there is a bidding war for Aguerd then those funds can go straight into the transfer kitty, bolstering it by as much as £40 Million. That is not to say that Steidten hasn't got to be frugal in his purchases, but he built the Dortmund team on a shoestring and there is no reason he can't do it at West Ham!

Of course fans WILL be disappointed when 'big names' join other clubs, but it is about time that players were purchased for the good of the team and NOT just to appease disgruntled fans, it is the only way for the club to progress efficiently and effectively. -LN

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Bruno signing Stalled

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Submitted by mcbikeman on Thu, 30/05/2024 - 08:43

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Contract issues and the player has refused to sign whats offered...here we go a low ball offer by Prem standards accepted so no doubt the poison dwarf and his offsider martini woman brady have offered a lowball contract and player has said no...got to laugh really and if this deals not done how will that make the club look to Jlo then if this is one of the targets he wanted.....ahh well lets strap in for a wonderful summer of smoke mirrors and the usual bollox we expect.

Please Let It Be True!

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Tue, 28/05/2024 - 16:49

Rumour has it among the 'click bait' elite and other media platforms that newly promoted Southampton are keen to reunite themselves with their ex-player Danny Ings. 31 year Old Ings enjoyed an incredibly fruitful time while he was at St Marys before moving to Aston Villa and a move would seem to suit all parties.

There is however one massive elephant in the room and that is Ings' astronomic wages, he is currently on £130,000 per week which will be far too rich for the Saints, so the player would have to take a massive salary cut in order for the deal to go through and for West Ham to receive even a fraction of what they paid Villa for the ex-England International.

Ings endured a torrid time at Stratford with a measly four goals scored in all his Premier League appearances, he was SO unsuited to 'Moyesball' that when he did play he looked like a very unfit fish out of water!

If and it is a big if, Ings can be moved on his wages could be used to pay TWO DECENT signings, so it is to be hoped that this one has some legs on it. Any deal brokered is however, probably going to have the caveat of Flynn Downes being involved, as the Saints are keen on making the midfielder's loan deal a permanent arrangement.

Downes would be a useful home grown player to add to the Hammers depleted squad, but he may be the sacrifice required in order to move Ings on! - Ed

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'Schnell Steidten'!

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Tue, 28/05/2024 - 09:24

'Super Tim Steidten' is about as much of a polar opposite to 'Dithering David Moyes' when it comes to their approach regarding player purchases. Moyes earned his dithering Dave moniker as a result of his over excessive due diligence, whereas Steidten is quick of the mark and wants deals done yesterday!

That is not to say Steidten doesn't thoroughly research prospective new players, it is just that he is far more preo-active about the way he does his business. It should be remembered that Tim Steidten is a director of football and NOT a coach, so his sole responsibility is to bring players in ans move players out, not withstanding his role as a selecter of managerial short lists!

The task ahead of Steidten to provide Julen Lopetegui with players they both agree on is truly herculean, but if anyone is up for it then surely the 'Pearl Diver' is, as his work at Leverkusen bears testimony.

The signing of Flamengo's Fabricio Bruno is all but rubber stamped, those of Vitoria Guimaraes attacker Jota Silva and Seville's El Nesryi are not far behind either. That would be three down with another TEN to go, so good luck 'Schnell Steidten', you are going to need every ounce of it at your disposal! -Ed

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Cornet

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Submitted by Bubblegirl on Sat, 25/05/2024 - 09:08

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A player who got injured took himself off to France to get it sorted instead of the club doing that and as a consequence Moyes chose not to use him except for five/six minutes here or there so insufficient time to make an impact except in the Sheffield United game but do we keep him? if he even wants to stay.
For me i say yes because we have a problem on the left side where hello he fits better than Fornals Kudus Paquetta JWP ever did and that was a manager trying to fill round holes with square pegs so i do indeed hope we keep him and not waste huge wages on Zaha but see if we have a Lad coming through the Academy who plays wide on the Left and who could benefit from beng around the first team squad and help in what has been for a while a troublesome position for us.

Young Mr Earthy

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Submitted by Bubblegirl on Sat, 25/05/2024 - 08:42

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So during my lunchbreak yesterday i watched JLo's first day at West Ham video and all the usual stuff you'd expect to see but the one part that made me smile was when you saw Noble shouting George come here what you doing here as they were showing Jlo the training facilities and the young man replied training on your day off? Noble said surprisingly yeah on my own.
Now that is a marvelous attitude to have and to see and if not all sort of fixed to happen yes a tad cynical i know then this young man will go far indeed so well done George and i hope to see you playing in the first team next season.

It Never Rains But It Pours-FA Inquiry!

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Thu, 23/05/2024 - 16:37

Only at West Ham could a club unveil their new manager and then have their 'glory' stolen by the FA on the same day! Any elation felt by the Hammers board about the publication of Julen Lopetegui's role as head coach must have evaporated as the FA finally decided to charge Lucas Paqueta with 'betting irregularities'charges.

It is alleged that the Hammers attacker deliberately got yellow carded on FOUR separate occasions in order to facilitate large scale bets placed in South America. Paqueta has vehemently denied the charges and expressed his disbelief that the FA have decided to press charges despite only possessing 'heresay' evidence.

If found guilty Pauqeta faces a lengthy ban and criminal charges in his home country of Brazil where he technically could face imprisonment! Of course, Paqueta is innocent until proven guilty and you can 'bet your house' that he will be represented by the formidable Henri Brandman among other high profile legal representatives that the club have at their disposal.

The positive that can be drawn from the charges being applied now is that the matter can be resolved ahead of next season, thus freeing Paqueta up for his anticipated £85 Million transfer to Champions Man City.

Only at West Ham! - Ed

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Paqueta charged

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Submitted by Bubblegirl on Thu, 23/05/2024 - 16:15

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The FA have charged him with four counts i think of deliberately getting himself booked to influence betting trends.
If the club are hoping for a big money transfer to Manchester City to help boost our coffers i think that could be scuppered.
£rd of June he has been given to reply to the allegations.

New Era Begins

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Thu, 23/05/2024 - 14:36

West Ham have now officially appointed Julen Lopetegui as their new head coach. The 57 year old Spaniard succeeds David Moyes and joins on a two year deal, with the option for a third.

Lopetegui's first words after the confirmation of his arrival were "I feel very happy, first of all, to be able to be part of the future of this big club. We had other opportunities but I am very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too, so we are really happy about this."

"I feel that we have a fantastic platform, my ambition as a coach is always to be better and better, to achieve more and bigger aims and to encourage and improve the players, the team, and to compete because football is about this – to compete."

"Julen lives and breathes football," said West Ham's technical director Tim Steidten. "He thinks deeply about the game, he is tactically astute and he has shown he can adapt to work in different leagues, in different countries, with national teams, and in each situation he has shown his outstanding qualities."

Majority shareholder David Sullivan chipped in with "We believe this appointment will ensure a strong opportunity to build on the positive progress made in recent seasons, helping the club to move forward in the direction that aligns with our ambitions."
So there you have it, one of Hammers' worst kept secrets it out in the public domain, which has come as a relief to many but has generated reservations to many as well. The spiteful and ill founded "be careful what you wish for" campaign of negativity ahead of Lopetegui's arrival, led by armchair pundits can now be laid to rest!

Julen has a massive job ahead of him and has been working with Tim Steidten for weeks regarding what players they need to bring in and who needs to get the heave ho. I you believe all you see and read Hammers are pursuing players across the Globe and probably into outer space!

One huge positive is that Lopetegui seems to get on well with Tim Steidten and that the new coach is in place early enough to spend a lot of time with the players ahead of the new season, also that players earmarked for transfer are being actually targeted now, instead of at the end of the transfer window.

It is definitely the beginning of a new era for Hammers supporters, there will doubtless be setbacks on the journey, but at least there is potential for hope, but then again as many say about supporting West Ham, "it's the hope that kills you". Only time will tell- Ed

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