Monday 14 December 2009

Optimism Knows No Bounds But Reality Has Locked All The Doors


An old friend of this site who posts on the Org has written an essay explaining why none of our players will be leaving in January. Apparently, Parker, Upson and Cole wouldn't fancy their chances of getting a game at the bigger clubs, whilst Green would not fancy a "sideways" move to Sunderland. Well, I would love to see an escalator designed by this poster if moving to a club 8 places higher in the table represents a "sideways" move. This is the same Sunderland team who murdered us in the second half when a player short, and who have got results against Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool so far this season. Sunderland will not go down; we probably will.

Our friend also asserts that C&B Holdings will not sell any players because this will reduce the value of the club but he again misses a vital point. Cash generated from sales can be used to reduce the headline debt whilst the departure of two of our major wage earners (Parker and Upson) will greatly reduce our operating costs. If Straumer can raise £50m from player sales (Upson 10, Parker 7, Green 6, Cole 20, Behrami 10), then they can sell the club for the £42m that Gold and Sullivan are offering and come out of the deal smelling of roses as far as the creditors are concerned. I have explained before that this is the accountancy solution to the dilemma Straumer / C&B Holdings face. Why should Straumer care where we play our football next season exactly? They want rid!

The poster's optimism is commendable but is rather like holding out for the perfect job whilst the country is in the depths of a recession. If we move back into the real world, however, we see that logic rather than hope is likely to apply come January. If we are still in the bottom three, which I expect us to be, why would any of the big names wish to hang around? And why would C&B Holdings want to keep hold of them, knowing that, if we are relegated, they will be off in the summer for depressed fees because buyers will know that we have no choice other than to sell.

There really does seem no way out of this unless Straumer accept a bid. The poster, like so many dreamland supporters, is living in a Truman Show Idyll. The bubble he is in is great but, in reality, there is a very nasty dog eat dog world out there and West Ham exist in that world as nothing more than numbers on a balance sheet. Even as we speak, an accountant is salivating at the thought of generating £50m from selling just five players whilst Gold and Sullivan are offering just £42m for a controlling stake in the whole club.

If you were an accountant, what would you do? Let's hope Gold and Sullivan, or somebody else, have been very creative with their accounting!

3 comments:

Doglegz said...

Carlton Cole is worth no where near £20m. He is worth around £8m and Behrami is worth £800k. I wont predict player sales or your future financial security but you will be relegated.

Deane said...

still say rather relegation than Gold and Sullivan bringing back Turds but I can see relegation Gold and Sullivan and Turds Iwill be staying in SA after the world cup if thats the case

Stani Army said...

Sell Noble and pray that whoever buys him thinks he's as good as some of our fans think he is (Dale's co-writer said he'd be a West Ham legend and go onto captain England seniors). That should give us a few bob.

As for Gold and Sullivan; many fans are rightly suggesting that they wouldn't be able to take us to the next level but would they be able to bring stability which is what we need right now?