Hmmmm. Remember when we were crying out for a replacement for Lucash Neill? Too slow, too clumsy, too prone to tugging on opponents inside the penalty box, too close to his sell by date? Remember those halcyon days when we thought we had the ability to pick and choose who would wear the right back shirt? Now, we are hanging on in hope, desperate for the Aussie cash register to pen a new deal, realising that if he doesn't, we don't have the funds to buy a replacement. Neill, Spector or Faubert? The choice isn't the greatest but I would certainly prefer Skippy over the other two. Mind you, that's the good news - that Neill MAY be prepared to rejoin us. And the bad news?
Well, according to one source, teenage Charlton sensation Jonjo Shelvey would prefer to join us rather than Chelsea. Bad news? Well yes, because we can't afford the £3.25m that Charlton want for him. Interesting. We received £14m for Bellamy and only paid £5m up front for Savio but we cannot afford the £4m that Barcelona want for Eider or the £3m Charlton want for Jonjo. Mind you, I remember reading this story back in May so...yep, the good news is that the story is on TribalFootball which is why it is well past its sell by date! Just like Quashi and Davenport!
Awww are the little spammers broke?
ReplyDeleteLooking throught your squad, do you really wonder why your lightyears away from Spurs?
Lucas Neil / Spector
OR
Corluka / Hutton / Naughton
point proved.
COYS
Hello Hammersfan. I've watched your blog pretty much since you started. Sometimes i agree with you, sometimes i don't. That's the beauty of a democracy, everyone gets their say, right or wrong. I am a Plaistow born boy marginally the right side of sixty, although i no longer live there. I have seen the greats play, Moore, Brooking, Best, Osgood & many more. I cannot for the life of me, understand why yourself & others are critisizing Neill over the renegotiation of his contract. It's simply business. Is he legally, or even morally bound to accept what we offer ? You can still like a job or a company but resign because the pay is better elsewhere. If you believe that any sportsman will play for a reduced wage simply out of loyalty for a club, then you need to update your newspapers. Neill is exactly what we need, both in that position & as a captain. I for one, hope that he & the club can come to agreement. I don't believe for one second that he wants to be off, he simply wants the best wage that he can get in his last couple of years as a player. Not unreasonable. Zola is one of the most gifted players ever to grace the game. We are so lucky to have he & Clarke. If Zola wants him to sign, then you can be sure he has a reason for that. The Australians make good captains, Moore & Muscat both tough campaigners & well liked by their team mates. Sure, Neill makes the odd blunder but who doesn't. What he brings to our defence more than makes up for that. I think that Lucas Neill does care about West Ham, does not want to go elsewhere & is a vital part of our defence & some people are a tad harsh.
ReplyDeleteCheers Winston, welcome on board! How about searching through the mists of time and contributing an article on the best Hammers XI you have seen - you go back even further than I do! Would be delighted to carry your reflections as a main article.
ReplyDeleteI do not blame Neill for trying for as much money as he can get - that's the way things are done now. My concerns are that he has missed pre season training and that we are so desperate for him to sign due to our financial problems. Good captain but very limited right back in my opinion due to his lack of pace. He did well last season compared to the season before but I do worry about how little we see of Behrami going forward because he is detailed to protect Lucas. I also suspect that this was why Boa and Stanislas were on the wrong flanks last season - because Zola trusted Boa to provide the defensive cover that Lucas now needs.
Hammersfan,
ReplyDeleteI would love to see Neill re-sign, if he does then Faubert will be sold to the Germans, maybe that money will go towrds Gudjohson being bought .... as it has been eluded too we have no cash to spend. For me he is integral to our back four. Solve that issue and others will fall in line. I would prefer a fit and reliable Gudjohnson on board than having the uncertainty of Deano ... as much as I love Deano I would let him go to Stoke for £5m ... it is world cup year and if that hasn't motivated him then it is time to move on.
I cannot respect Neill for his greediness because he could potentially cause unrest amongst the squad. I do like him as a leader but i fear that Clarke can no longer adapt his game as he simply wont listen!
ReplyDeleteSlight irrelevant to the article but i think Stanislas is looking extremely promising. I would consider him just above Savio but think they are a very similar type of player and would like to see some competition between them.
Hello Hammersfan, thank you. Yes you are correct about Neills lack of pace, inability to turn quickly & the need to cover him. That is the problem with his game, both he & Zola would know that. However, there are many attributes to his play that make up for that, in my opinion. We are not flushed with money at the moment, & to all appearances it does look as if Neill is trying to hold us to ransom, but i don't believe that that is quite the case. As i said Zola is a thinker, he is not continuing discussions for naught. I recall a story about Zola from a few years ago. I think it was Le Saux, not sure, but Zola was reading a book, someone sneaked to it & ripped out the last page. Zola continued to read it & said nothing for months. When asked about it he just laughed & shrugged his shoulders. He already figured out the ending, didn't worry him, no reaction. He is patient. He has only had one season. Once he gets a handle on things, we will play football as it should be played. Look at the youth he is buying & long term deals. All seem creative individualists at a young age. He seems to want to keep Neill for one more year for a reason. Who have we got to put it in as captain ? Upson ? I don't think he really has the personality for it, in my opinion,it detracts from his game. I watched the matches in China. Some are leaders, some are not. You can see it at youth level if you coach. Parker would be the only one & he is not always available. Many players fail to renegotiate contracts. It is not a question of loyalty, it is simply business. The club also wants the best price. Look at Craig Moore. The first non scots captain of Rangers in their history. In 98 i think it was, he left for Palace. Could be money. He returned to Rangers & all was forgiven, until he went to Borussia & returned, but it was never the same then. Becoming a footballer takes lot of commitment as a youth, both self & family, timewise & financially, but the rewards are great & so they should be. You can become a millionaire from golf & never win a tournament. I hope Neill resigns with us for a year. They may yet work out a deal.
ReplyDeleteWell Said Winston, couldn’t agree with you more.
ReplyDeleteFed up with hearing reporters or bloggers saying players are only in it for the cash.
I am sat at my desk now because, a: I need the money and b: no one else is willing to pay me more.
Still not sure Hammersfan has grasped it yet as he says that’s how it is done now.
Doubt I would have moved my family 250 miles for an extra 10 shillings. !
Might consider it for an extra 20k a week though !
I like Lucas as a no nonsense player and a stand up and be counted captain.
We can’t applaud his aggression and then moan if he gives the occasional penalty away.
We never moaned if Rio lost the ball whilst nutmegging an oncoming striker or Dicks if he sent someone space bound.
Sign up Lucas !!
Fair enough whitey but just remember not to complain when he pointlessly graples an opponant to the floor and gives away a penalty which makes the difference between three points and one
ReplyDeleteTo be fair on the guy, I only remember that penalty against Birmingham and that is two seasons ago now. Have I forgotten one?
ReplyDeleteVirtually every team we have played have targetted Lucas Neill as the weak link in our defence. It has made MacCartney look like a player worth more than his true value and given Ilunga the space to be one of our more creative outlets. Neill offers little going forward and has restricted Behrami because of the need to cover for Neill's lack of space. I don't know what he does in the dressing room but he must be bloody good at it.
ReplyDeleteIf we were not under such strict financial constraints I doubt whether he would be re-signed. More evidence that we are in for a tough season.
Yes there was definatly one last season, i really cannot remember what game but there was one. Not to mention the free-kicks he conceeded on the edge of our area along with Kovac
ReplyDeleteYep, you are right, climbing all over Crouch away to Pompey. But be fair, that set up Defoe's penalty miss so was actually an assist of sorts!
ReplyDeleteYes Whitey, sorry i don't get to the computer every day. I understand Hammersfans concerns, however i am of the opinion that at the moment we need stability at the back. Our defence has improved & i believe that Neill is part of the reason.Don't forget when he came we were skirting with relegation. Everyone talks about Tevez, as great as he is. We are not into a postive goal average yet, we haven't been for a long time, but that's just as much that we have been short up front. I work consulting & i understand the difficulty of business. Everyone wants the biggest bang for their buck. His style of play will always concede fouls but has positives. His long balls from the back on occasions are nothing short of exceptional, almost right to the players feet. Who have we got for RB, Faubert, Daprela is cover for Ilunga. I reckon the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. It's an ongoing saga it seems but one that will need to be resolved soon.
ReplyDeleteWell Hammersfan, it looks like he has gone. Sunderland huh, hmm. I spoke up in support of him when most didn't. I am not bitter about it but not as happy as you would think. We can't pay what he wants or Zola & Dux think that he is simply not worth what he wants. He sure is going to kop some stick when he visits, i would think. Shame, as i personally think that he played his best while here. We even boo our own players when they have lost form. I do not understand. Now what are we going to do at RB. Another problem & so late. I question the spleen venting but i wonder if there is any loyalty left in anyone on this earth. I will admit that, as difficult as it is.
ReplyDeleteLucas Neill was overated. He was slow, wreckless in the tackle and likely to give penalties. Scott Parker and Matthew Upson have better leadership qualities. He will not be missed. THE BEAST
ReplyDelete