Forum | Non-Football Related

There has been a lot of talk relating to West Ham United's potential transfer activity ever since it became blatantly obvious that club captain Declan Rice would be moving on to pursue his Champions League dreams. There has been SO MUCH noise surrounding Rice's potential transfer and destination that the main topic seems to have escaped attention.

Of course the Rice story is massive and he is essentially irreplaceable, but the team HAS to move forward so their is no point in crying over the spilled milk, things have to continue no matter what. Despite splashing the cash in a big way at the beginning of the season, the board has seen little by way of return, with injuries to the new signings playing havoc with David Moyes' plans.

First Aguerd, then Cornet, then Scamacca and then Pacqueta ALL picked up injuries that ranged from fairly serious to incredibly serious! Cornet has hardly had a kick ALL season and Scamacca had only a meagre few games before eventually going under the surgeon's knife.

So 'going again' in the transfer market will NOT be as easy as some fans think, not because there might be intransigence when it comes to further spending by the owners, but because the FFP restrictions that have so often been ignored or avoided by clubs are starting to get implemented right across Europe.

FIFA have confirmed the transfer window in England will open on June the 14th, teams will be able to agree terms with players and clubs over possible signings, but they won't be official until the start of July. Any international deals will not go through until the start of July, meaning only domestic deals can be officially completed. These dates allow clubs like West Ham, who are still in European competitions the breathing space to play their final games before the window opens.

If and it is an enormous if, Hammers win the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final which is due to be played at the Fortuna Arena in Prague on June the 7th, then the club would be back in Europe for a third season running. Apart from the Kudos and financial gain, recruiting new players would be that bit easier. Additional recruits would most definitely be needed if the club is to 'endure' another gruelling play on Thursday and Sunday schedule that is requisite for European competition.

So the outcome of the final in Prague WILL DICTATE Hammers transfer activity to a massive degree, win it and the club is in Europe, lose it and the club won't be in Europe. In a way it is a double edged sword, but Europe holds sway with players and fans alike, European games under the lights once acquired is a taste to savour and one that fans would prefer to retain...it is called progress!

The 2023/24 season kicks off on Saturday August the 12th, so clubs will have just over two weeks between the first game of the season and the transfer deadline, which is Friday September the 1st at 11pm. There will be plenty of ins and outs at West Ham, some welcome, some not.

There is the slight matter of the club's most important game in over fifty years to play, in a venue decided upon by fools who have not a care in the World about the possible consequences of trying to fit fans from both clubs into a tiny Stadium IN PRAGUE that only has a capacity of LESS THAN A THIRD OF West Ham's own ground! Chaos will be the best outcome but we fear a lot worse, hopefully the cheap beer will be so plentiful it will stop people from wanting to fight.

We live in hope!-LN

Chris Knoll, AKA ‘Knollsy’ also as the ‘Angel of Alkmaar’ in some quarters, hasn't had to buy a drink for himself since he and others battled Alkmaar ultras who tried to invade the hospitality area containing Hammers friends and families at the end of the club's winning semi final against AZ Alkmaar.

It took the near 60 year old an age to make his way round the London Stadium after the final game against Leeds such was the enthusiasm of people who wanted to shake his hand or buy him a bevvy! His actions hadn't gone unnoticed by boxing fanatic Hammers majority shareholder DAVID SULLIVAN either, because Knollsy has been rewarded with the hottest ticket in town, entry for the Irons first European final in 47 years.

The Hammers 'Hooky Hero', said he was nearly reduced to tears when he heard the news, which followed requests by thousands of fans and a multitude of media outlets to West Ham United. The Battle of Alkmaar sounds like a tale from a T.E.Lawrence exploit or an American Bank siege, but a battle it was!

With the phrase battle in mind, don't fans have the entitlement to ask the authorities to re-think the hosting of the final? UEFA have stated that their choice of venue was decided over a year ago and is part of their 'all-inclusive' concept of 'rolling out' finals all over4 Europe, but what about the fans themselves?

It is absolutely ludicrous to have two massively supported teams like Fiorentina and West Ham play a prestigious final in a Stadium that only has a 20,000 capacity, as if that wasn't bad enough both teams will receive a ticket allocation that is less than FIVE THOUSAND each! The remaining 15,000 tickets will go to UEFA officials and 'corporate partners'!

This is a recipe for disaster, according to local authorities 10,000 police officers will be drafted into Prague from all over the Czech Republic next month, fears of trouble having been magnified by the attack on West Ham fans by AZ Alkmaar hooligans at last week’s semi-final 2nd leg in Holland.

UEFA have also called an emergency meeting for this Friday involving Britain's National Police Chiefs' Council, Scotland Yard, Italian and Prague police, but will it be a case of too little too late? Why not switch to a bigger venue? There are plenty of Stadia that will be empty and could more than likely do with the extra funding the game could bring in, or are UEFA completely blind?

Oh well, at least Knollsy will be in attendance to keep the players families and friends safe heh!- Ed

The Stratford Arena, The Queen Elizabeth Stadium or whatever you want to call the unnamed ground where West Ham United now play their football didn't do a bad impression of being a 'happy home'. Today's (Sunday) visitors under the managerial guidance of ex-Irons boss Sam Allardyce obviously hadn't read the 'end of term' script as they proceeded to go a goal ahead courtesy of one of Allardyce's favourite weapons, the long throw!

Schoolboy defending at it's worst, however as has often been the case, going a goal down seemed to give Hammers the much needed kick up the back side that they tend to need before going on and winning the game. Such was the case today, Declan Rice ran the show but was ably abetted by the entire team, especially PACMAN!

Lucas Pacqueta stunned, amazed and enthralled the home crowd with touches of pure genius that completely baffled the visitors and often his OWN team. It has been such a long while since the club have had a 'proper' creative mastermind, Dimitri Payet is the closest that there has been recently, but he and Pacman have different qualities. What they both do have in abundance is the ability to get the crowd on it's feet with moments of pure individual brilliance.

The crowd was fully rocking by the time Manu Lanzini was fed a sumptuous pass by who other than Pacman to complete the three goal victory. Jarred Bowen had scored before that but the Hammers equaliser was scored by 'Captain Fantastic' Declan Rice! His perfect volley helped drag the team forward to victory.

Thousands stayed behind to witness the traditional end of the season walk about by players and their families, but for many there was a feeling of great sadness because the 'elephant in the room' was that this was more than likely the last ever time Decs would stride out in front of the home crowd wearing the Claret and Blue captaining the team just like former greats Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds.

No one can ever question the love and commitment he showed to the club and it's fans, he will be given a warm welcome if and when he returns as an opposition player, even if it is for the Gooners! Replacing such a player will be impossible, least ways a like for like replacement, but with a few tweaks here and there the team will be able to cope, but it won't be easy.

Today was nearly the end of one era, there is the small matter of a European final in which history can be made by a team led out by their leader, albeit for the third grade Cup, the club haven't won anything for so long fans would hardly recognise a trophy if it landed in front of them, they do recognise pure talent and in Declan Rice they have witnessed the growth and development of a very very special player indeed.

Several players apart from Declan Rice may well have turned out for the club for the last time, with the futures of Lukasz Fabianski, Angelo Ogbonna and Manu Lanzini among others unresolved as they have yet to be offered new contracts. -Ed