Friday 19 June 2009

Can we believe what the Board are saying?


Looked in this morning to find myself headlining and attracting the usual "you can't be a proper hammer" rubbish. All I'm doing is collating the available information and asking the questions that arise. GZ has said that he wants 20/21 outfield players but neither of the two proposed signings fill any of the 5 vacant posts.

Mancini must surely play as a wide mid. and Jimenez is a creative mid. So where does that leave Behrami? He must surely be a first choice, but not RB, so where does he play?

There has been speculation about Parker and Upson and given their wages and age it's not surprising. I think both players have an exemplary attitude and in an ideal world I would keep both. Their injury history however, makes me feel that if the right offer is there we should take it. Upson I especially like, Parker for me is full of passion and endeavour, but he too often runs into space which he should pass into and consequently makes Noble look a lesser player.

With the small squad that we aspire to we just cannot afford a bunch of sick-notes, which while it puts a question mark against Parker and Upson, surely opens the exit door Dyer if Jimenez comes.

Ashton? Again, his wages and injury prone past, suggest to me that if the right offer came in we would take it. He's a good player, not as good as he thinks he is, but will he ever be fit and can we take a chance on him breaking down again? Gabbidon was excellent two years ago but I don't think many of us think he will come back.

So where does that leave us? We still have to fill five squad places, but if these two sign it will leave us with two players more than we claim to want. So who leaves and where does Behrami play?

I have serious concerns about a small squad which contains Dyer, Gabbidon, Ashton, Upson, Parker and, to a certain extent, Collins. Our very existence as a club depends on not propping up the table at the end of October. If that were to happen the "asset stripping" option starts to rear it's ugly head. The owners are only interested in maximising their investment and it is likely that if we are not doing too well they will feel that they don't want to throw good money after bad.

On an amusing note to end, they say that imitation is greatest form of flattery. Plymouth Hammer on West Ham Mad has taken to signing himself "el martillo ingles" ! Cheeky fatherless one!

The Real El Martillo!

22 comments:

Hammersfan said...

What a load of rubbish. You can't be a real hammer mate. Go off and support the Spuds you know you want to. Our Board are brilliant and will make us Top 4 to sell us you mug. Ashton is the best striker in England. Parker was Hammer of the Year. Gabbs is on his way back. No way with Upson go. Dyer will be ever present next season. Have faith. COYI

wiche said...

Well Behrami can play RB he play that role in swiss national team, he was playing in LAzio on that position, and for the players like Dyer and Gabidon just get real they havent play a long time and they will propobly hit the exit door, for Ashton, Parker, Upson they all should stay... I belive Ashton will get over the injuries and with Zola he can be a top striker, just see what hapend with Cole, and Parker& Upson got the expiriance and a good season so they can only be sold for good price but i dont wont that to hapend...

Anonymous said...

Having decided not to visit your site due to the rumour that you were a spurs supporter I took a last look and found that maybe you are a hammer.
I think most hammers agree that we have been guilty of signing a number of injury prone players in recent windows under both Curbs & Pards.Players in there 30's are more prone to injury and longer recovery periods. If Parker and Upson can go for big money and the money made available to GZ then that may be the best long term solution.Dyer would not command any type of respectable fee so he has to stay and see if a recovery can be made. Ashton too, I fear will always suffer injuries, he always looks too heavy to me, and ankle injuries suggest that is right. If he is fit and playing then he should be moved on in the next two windows, whilst his value is reasonable. That said it is a great feeling to at last have a manager & coach who's judgement we can put faith in. COY!

Tubs said...

Are you serious Hammersfan?
How do you know out board are great, they've only just stepped through the door (most of them)?
Ashton is never fit enough to prove your point, better than Rooney is he?
Gabbidon has been out for 2 seasons almost, so hopefully you aren't expecting him to be straight back to his best.

Duxbury has a record of lying to the fans, so I don't believe a word he says. He has also spoken the truth on occaision, but his history suggests he has lied so there is no telling whether it's the truth in future.

I'm happy with the board though, probably snuggly between your two opinions, I'm realistic and optimistic, but not deluded or pesssimistic!

Graham said...

Yawwwwnnn!!! I've just found my first site that I want to blacklist on newsnow. I thought it was going to be the Daily Mail website, but even they have the odd decent article. Well your so-called "blog" has well and truly taken first place...
I've read quite a few of your blogs and I find it sad that even I've come to the point that I've had to comment on the crap you keep spouting...
Doesn't this web bating lark ever get boring to you. I really can't fathom why the hell you post all this crap. You're like someone from a bad religion who constantly trys to force their views on people. FFS, please just stick to your day job and leave the blogging to people who actually have something decent to write about.

Anonymous said...

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn...

Anonymous said...

As West Ham United Football Club is actually a PLC, any sales of players would have to go back into the club and can not go towards paying off our new owners debts as any asset stripping would be highly illegal because it would be embezzlement as all assets of the club belong to the club and not the owners.

apache said...

Fanno, you accidentally signed in and forgot to post anonymously... I think your secret is out now that you really do have no life and a multiple personality disorder!

Hammersfan said...

Apache mate, Marty wrote the article (El Martillo), my comment was a tongue in cheek prediction of responses! Irony my dear chap, irony.

Hammersfan said...

Tubs, I agree. My comment was a joke reflecting the all too typical, see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil three monkeys response of so many fans out there. "That's not what it says on the OS so it can't be true!" type of response!

0842 Me, a Tootatthem fan? I spend a lot of my time winding them up!

el martillo said...

I get the impression that you're trying to extricate me from my bunker mate! But do you consider this a fairway to get me off the golf course? Headlining my comments and leaving me exposed to the slings and arrows of outrageous unfortunates!

apache said...

I know Fanno, I do read your blog from time to time you know!

Hammersfan said...

LOL Marty, given we are supposed to be one and the same, I think it only fair that I use your "comments" as main articles. It's kind of like a prompt from my subconscious!

el martillo said...

From your subconcious to the great unconcious if half of the replies are anything to go by! As you know you may feel free to do as you wish with the words, even sensor them apparently you crap crappy clint!

Anonymous said...

Excellent article. Completely factual but of course, we have no idea who is actually being sold at this very moment in time.

It is possible someone is prepared to take a substantial punt on Ashton, Dyer, Gabbidon, Collins, Upson or Parker? I've been in business for over 30 years and bankers have never been any different. They will sell anything not nailed down...

Billbanksy

Anonymous said...

hey fanno, like this blog. But i like the banter between you, and the others more! cracks me up- next your get 'My dads bigger than yours' lol hammertimeirons!

Hammersfan said...

My Dad's dead! Bet his ashes have scattered further than their Dads!

el martillo said...

Thankyou Bill.

Scotty, I think that's what they call a conversation stopper!

Hammersfan said...

Or alternatively it opens a can of worms!

el martillo said...

Let's face it you've opened plenty of those.

"A man may fish with a worm that hath eat of a King, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm"

Hammersfan said...

But you will know, of course, that worms do not eat our bodies - bacteria eat us from the inside out. Poor worms, always getting a bad press!

el martillo said...

I blame the prince of Denmark!