Forum | Non-Football Related

Perhaps it is because of a lack of credible football news during the Covid 19 lock down that strange transfer speculation is rearing it's ugly head again, stories that are normally reserved in the Journo's locker for the International break are surfacing in order to fill the vacuum. So 'speculation' that West Ham United will move to sign Liverpool star Dejan Lovren has intensified, the Irons were linked with a move for Lovren last week in a report that claimed Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will allow the 30 year old to leave in the next window ‘due to his outstanding service’ to the club.

Spuriously it has been claimed clubs from Italy and Spain are interested in Lovren, but he fancies a move to London and West Ham, 'apparently' David Moyes is keen and, according to those bastions of honesty The Express, the Hammer’s interest in the Croatian has intensified after a price of £18 Million was mooted amid interest from Premier League rivals Arsenal, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.

Reports from Italy have claimed that Liverpool want £18 Million for Lovren, with Lazio, Lyon and AC Milan among the foreign teams keen on the Croatian, but £18 Million for a 30 year old defensive midfield player is a ludicrous price to pay for a player who has rarely featured for the Champions elect this season. The huge price tag is even more ridiculous when you bare in mind the fact that West Ham United have their very own combative defensive midfielder in the form of Winston Reid, Reid is admittedly 11 months older, and is currently on loan to Sporting Kansas City in the MLS.

Reid has just over three years left on his remaining contract with West Ham, and if he is able to stay injury free and get match fit he surely represents a better option than the veteran Croation who doesn't appear to have much left in the tank, whereas Reid has essentially had nearly two years off from the rigours of first team football. It should be remembered that Winston Reid won the 2013 Hammer of the Year award and was once held in such esteem, and was pursued by a host of clubs both domestically and abroad, that he was 'rewarded' with a massive six year contract in 2017.

Unfortunately Lady Luck was looking in the opposite direction when Winston was knocked unconscious during the game against Swansea, his injury was unique in that he was unconscious when he hit the ground, falling so awkwardly that it completely 'destroyed' his bodies set up, particularly his knee. Reid spent months and months rehabilitating, but given the club's precarious circumstances was unable to get any realistic meaningful game time, the decision was made to send Reid and his family to the States in order for him to 'fully' recover and get valuable minutes on the pitch.

There has been talk that West Ham United are desperate to offload the experienced New Zealand captain to save on his £85,000 per week wages, but surely if he can regain his fitness the club would be better off retaining his services, after all who has been paying his wages while he has been injured? Surely a returning fit again Reid would be a better option than a Liverpool reject who is a similar age and would demand twice the wages? - Ed

West Ham have a wealth of young talent at the club, a vital essential for any team other than the very rich in order to survive in the top flights of football, so we thought we'd take a look at the new generation of players to emerge. When it comes to young promising goal keepers the Irons are spoiled for choice with Nathan Trott and Joseph Anang on the books as well as two youth internationals in the U-18's with Daniel Jinady and Serinne Sanneh, there is also the 17 year old Hungarian Krisztian Hegyi, who was wanted by Manchester United and Real Madrid, he has trained with the first team and has played with the U-23's this season.

Scottish youth international Harrison Ashby has played well for the U-18's and has also played for the U-23's a few times this season, he made his U-23's debut earlier this season as an emergency centre back after an injury crisis, helping the team to a clean sheet .

Centre half Jamal Baptiste became the 2nd youngest Hammers U-23 player in history earlier this season when he made his debut in a Premier League International Cup win over Valencia two months ahead of his 16th birthday. His England U-17 debut followed not long after and he has been a regular in U-23s match squads ever since making the step up, he is very highly rated at the London Stadium and there are hopes the future will see him develop in to a top player.

Goncalo Cardoso was signed from Boavista last summer for more than £1million, big things are expected of the Portuguese youngster, who has been a regular for his country across all age groups. He is essentially a centre back but can also play at left back which he has done on a few occasions this season for the U- 23's.

Marauding left back Sam Caiger has finally returned after nearly two years out through injury and has scored a couple of goals in a win over Spurs, he is well thought of at Chadwell Heath.

Midfielder Conor Coventry recently signed a new contract extension until 2023 before being sent out on loan to Lincoln City, Coventry made his first team debut against Macclesfield Town last season in the Carabao Cup and took over the U-23's captaincy after Moses Makasi was sold, he’s continued to progress and is another one for the future.

Creative midfielder Bernardo Rosa won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month nomination for November having made the move up to U-23 level from the U-18s. The Brazilian, who began his career at Vasco de Gama in his homeland before making the move to London in his early teenage years has really impressed the U-23 bosses.

Nathan Holland is a winger who has been on loan this season at Oxford United, scoring in an FA Cup replay against Newcastle United, before his loan was cut short after suffering a hamstring injury. Unfortunately Injuries have meant his career has been sporadic since signing from Everton but that hasn't stopped him from being the U-23's top scorer this season having scored 11 times in the PL2 before he was loaned out for his League One experience.

Amadou Diallo was immediately handed his first professional contract at the club signing on the dotted line with his boyhood club on his 17th birthday. Diallo was in fact just 14 when he made his debut for the club's U-18s against Arsenal in 2017 under former coach Jack Collison and last season he broke into the U-23's setup, scoring two goals in his first three appearances at that level and has gone from strength to strength, well above his age range,

Striker Xande Silva suffered serious bowel obstruction that required emergency surgery last summer which set him back a bit, but he has scored three times since his return this season. In 2019-20, the Portuguese hitman was stunning scoring seven goals in his first six games and making a first team debut at Burnley, he made his senior full debut in the FA Cup win over Birmingham.

Mipo Odubeko has only been at the club for three months having been sniped from Manchester United, but the striker has made a big impact already, he has scored 35 goals for the Iron’s academy last season and has seven goals in six games for the U-18s since signing. He also scored with his very first touch off the bench on his under-23s debut earlier this year as well.

Mesaque Dju joined the club at the end of the January transfer window during the 2018-19 season from Portuguese side Benfica, the youngster joined on a three and a half year deal and joins fellow countryman Xande Silva in the Club's U-23 squad.

These aren't the only youngsters on the horizon, ironically it was the 'pulling power' of ex-manager Manuel Pellegrini that attracted many of the youngsters and the approval of their signatures by their parents and advisers, strength through youth sounds a bit Hitleresque, but realistically it is the only way a club like West Ham can possibly survive and progress in the top flight, until and when the current owners sellup to buyers with deep pockets, but don't hold your breath! - Ed

With their heads firmly buried in the sand, Premier League clubs are due to meet again on the 3rd of April to discuss what arrangements can be made in order to 'close out' this year's season, it is almost certain the current postponement of all games until the 30th of April will be extended again which will take it past the official end of the EFL league season and towards the last round of Premier League fixtures, which was supposed to be on the 17th of May.

The mooted dates are very close to the point where the game has to restart if it is to meet the loose 30th of June deadline European football's governing body is working towards as the end of the 2019-20 campaign. Either the powers that be are in complete denial, or they have not taken on board the most basic of information with regards to containing the Corona Virus19 that has shut down sport globally.

In fact the football authorities at both domestic and international level seem to be completely oblivious as to the far reaching implications of this Global pandemic, much as in the old Hans Christian Andersen story about the emperor's new clothes, they cannot see the folly of their indulgences such are their conceited opinions driven by greed.

Of course declaring the season null and void would be extremely beneficial for a West Ham team that is only out of the bottom three positions on goal difference, but that is the way it is, no one realistically believes the season can be completed, EVEN behind closed doors, although this myth is being perpetrated by stake holders and broadcasters alike.

These are unprecedented times, sport,particularly football, is the Nation's panacea, it gives us the 'hit' for the weekend and/or midweek and as such is irreplaceable, but given the circumstances it is perhaps better to batten down the hatches and wait for this dreadful 'plague' to dissipate, then and only then should football be back on the agenda.

The Barclays Premier League, Sky Sports and BT Sport along with other broadcasters and involved parties World Wide are going to take a massive financial hit, but hasn't that happened to everyone else in the 'real world'?