Monday, 8 February 2010

Upson Off As Sullivan Talks BUSINESS SENSE! What about football sense?


So Diddy David has decided that the best way to play poker is to show all his cards as he sits down at the table. This guy has got a gob like a machine gun on amphetamines! His latest revelation is that Upson will be sold in the summer as soon as a substantial offer is received because it makes "good business sense".

Interesting. I thought the Davids were in this because of their love for West Ham! Even the old regime at least tried to kid us that the needs of the team took first priority. Sullivan has, however, opened his bathroom robe and let us see in full frontal glory that balancing the books comes ahead of retaining key players. Welcome back to the bad old days of West Ham being a selling club!

There's three really stupid aspects to this. First of all, Sullivan has just talked down Upson's price! By revealing that we have to sell, he has shown his hand in a crazy way. Why would Wenger offer top dollar to help us offload a player we cannot afford to keep?

Then there is the message this gives to Upson. Why does he care what happens between now and the end of the season? So what if we go down, he is off anyway! Maybe he was sorting out the contract with Arsenal in his head when that ball bounced between him and Green on Saturday!

And finally there is the effect this may have on the rest of the team. "If Upson can go, why can't I?" might be in the thoughts of Green, Parker, Behrami and Cole. In fact, one way of ensuring the opportunity of a move away would be if we were to be relegated!

The players at Hull, Wolves and Burnley are playing for their Premiership futures. If their club is relegated, they will go down with the sinking ship because nobody else will want them. However, our big names have lifeboats personally earmarked for them, with the names of Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool painted on the side. Tell me, which set of players is likely to be the hungrier between now and the season's end?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

upson was always going to let his contract run down (he even said he was not going to sign a new contract), so we were always going to sell him before he does this and the summer is the last possible oportunity to cash in.

i am pretty sure wenger has the brains to add two and two together and come to the ONLY conclusion that we will have to sell. i for one am surprised and happy we haven't already sold him and well he hasn't exactly set the world on fire the last 6 month with his 80k a week bleeding the club dry.

im not exactly sure what your point is anyway? teams have already seen our hand anyway, inviting a bidding war by pointing out the obvious might work out nicely for us, the only option is to let upson go on a free and not have money to replace him or sell him at the last possible moment and get some pretty decent cash. what happens with that cash is another thing, but if 10 million goes to pay off the debt then its better than nothing

Anonymous said...

Upson heart is not at West Ham and he clearly wants Champions League football while he is in his prime.

Lately his head hasn't been in games either and dosen't seem very concerned by the position we are in.

It seems to me that by Sullivan talking about selling Upson, he is clearly parading him to other clubs (the good business sense).

Like it or not, he's gone in the summer, the Davids know it, the fans know it and now other clubs know it.

All thats left of Upson is to try his best to focus on West Ham staying in the league.

bobd said...

Point 1 is negated by the fact that he's a 31 year old entering the last year of his contract.

Point 2 is negated by the fact that he's playing for a) his place at the world cup, and b) a move. No-one in the Champs League is going to sign him if he's been rubbish for a year.

Point 3 is negated by the fact that all players are out for themselves anyway, regardless of what the others do.

EarlsCHammer said...

What a load of rubbish. Have you even been watching the games recently? Upson's head nor heart are in the games. His individual mistakes have led to conceding goals this season far too much.

We all know he won't sign a new deal with us, we've known for ages, so if we're still in the Premiership come the summer then of course it's good business to flog him, before he leaves on a free a year later...

It doesn't matter how Sullivan saying this affects Upson, because Upson hasn't thought about how his negativity about a new contract has affected the rest of West Ham. If he doesn't want to be here, we sell him. Simple, no?

You have to be good to write professionally, but sadly, any old fool can write an online blog.

Are you stupid?

Dave D said...

Hopfully we will try to get a good price & player or two as part ex.

I think he is maybe trying to get a pre contract agreed early, thus to prepare for rebuilding in the summer.

I can only hope.

Anonymous said...

The guy wants to leave and deserves to leave when we retain our premiership status. He will let his contract run out and leve on a free like Sol Campbell. In our financial situation that cant be allowed to happen. Thanks matt and good luck (after this season). The guy who writes this blog is a no nothing plank who is probably a spurs fan anyway.

Hammersfan said...

Tell me, what do we gain from Sullivan saying this? He gains by preparing the fans for the sell off, which probably will not stop at Upson, but what advantage accrues to the club or the morale of the rest of the team? Upson is our captain for God's sake!

As for his World Cup place, is Upson going to go in where it hurts in the last two or three games of the season? Why risk being ruled out of the World Cup fighting to keep up a team that he is leaving anyway?

Personally, I feel Upson has been one of our better players since his return from injury - so if he isn't trying, as some claim, what does that say about the others?

Savvakis said...

Fair point made by HF. Why pre-announce the sale of Upson? It's utter stupidity or he is just preparing the West Ham fans for accepting the big sale in the summer. Either way it is not good news for the fans.

The problem with buying West Ham for a mere 50 million is that there are so many ways you can recover your investment if things don't turn out right. Sell a few players in the summer and suddenly it becomes a risk free investment!

Hammersfan said...

Suspicious minds think alike mate!

Anonymous said...

There'll be life after Upson. This is what it's like being a hammers fan. You'll get used to it Hammersfan.

Essexhammer said...

SULLIVAN is a very up front guy,and tells it as it is,which I like about him.He keeps fans in the loop ,unlike others I could mention.But like has already been stated on here,SULLIVAN knows we are deep in the shit financially,so he is not going to make matters worse is he? Selling big earners is the answer.It would be different if they were the lifeblood of our team ,but none of our players have really shone consistently to warrant not being sold.But what should not be forgotten,SULLIVAN is not in this as a business venture primarily,he bought the club because he loves it and wants it to be successful,so do you honestly believe he will let the club deteriorate quality wise.......I don't.

John said...

I will say it again. Before the D's arrived everyone complained the fans were being kept in the dark about everything. Now you are hearing it all, you don't like it! Personally I prefer to know what is going on whether its good news or bad and at least it gives us something to debate. I also think we are far better off now with the D's than we were with the other lot. Upson's form this year is quite easily replaceable.

Hammersfan said...

Zola aint impressed!

Anonymous said...

destabilise the team before the Birmingham game will surely send us down..... the reason why?

Tell dyer he should retire
Tell players that they should take a wage cut
Sack loads of playing staff
Upset Zola the man of principal enough so he'll walk - much cheaper than sacking him.
Go in to Championship
Sell players - recoup your 50M
West ham goes in to liquidation
Debts cleared
Buy club back for 1 pound (sound familiar?)
Rent the Olympic stadium
Sell the Boleyn to property redevelopers
Stabilise the club
Sell club for 100M to 150M lovely jubbly, nice little earner, thank you very much.

We've been screwed.

John said...

If only it was that easy Anonymous,but I think West Ham are too much in debt for that one. Possibly like you suggest they are saying these things to get rid of Zola the cheap way. Unfortunately I have faith in people until they prove otherwise. These guys are obviously hard businessmen they must be to have made what they have got, but I don't think they are out to screw the club or supporters