Here are just a few of the strikers we are being linked with this morning…
Eidur Gudjohnsen
Benni McCarthy
James Beattie
Ruud van Nistelroy
Robbie Keane
My instinct is that Van Nistelroy and McCarthy are the two real targets. I know Zola is a big fan of the Van Man and there were attempts to sign him last summer. I think Zola also quite likes the look of Beattie, who he sees as perfect foil for Carlton Cole. McCarthy on his day is a brilliant striker, and he nearly joined us under Alan Pardew. But he seems to be carrying an awful lot of excess weight.
I think we’d all be very excited if we managed to get Van Nistelroy. I can’t believe he’d choose Stoke over us! Mind you, Harry Redknapp is also interested, so it could be quite a competitive field.
Van Nistelroy would be an awesome signing in the short term (exactly what we need at the moment) He is a striker in the mould that we havn't had for a whie at upton park and with the world cup coming up would play his heart out to get into the squad. I think player on the fringes of world cup squads are where we look to be honest.
I saw a report of Robbie Keane on loan, doubt this has much truth but would also be a very good signing. I've always rated the guy and he certainly knows where the goal is!
just a quick comment lads…… will villa get a fa charge for there pitch invasion like we got fined?????. a pitch invasion what ever scale is not aloud is it? on the striker front any of those will do thanks sign one now please
Hammer, I thought that as well & posted on previous thread.
How the FA will view Villas position in unable to control their fans on the field of play. Albeit at the end of the match. For that matter so was our invasion. However it is the principle of the rule that counts.
Congratulations &Good luck to our claret & blue cousins let us hope they are able to put one over the Mancunian lot RED or BLUE!
i would have assumed ruud would be outside our budget?? what did Real pay for him??
Kiwi. No doubt RVN would be a loan deal as is being discussed by Stoke so it would only be his wages to overcome.
The wages would probably be too big a hurdle. Reports say he is on 130k per week at the moment. Keane's wages may also be a stumbling block but I don't believe the Spuds would let him go anyway.
of course, my mistake. Agree with the comment earlier re World Cup hopefuls…….think we will those on the outside busting their backsides to get in and those "definates" avoiding injury at all costs……interesting contradiction in mindsets!!
one report i read was that stoke were offering 2 mill to buy him…like all press stuff…dont know how accurate it was.
All would be welcome at the moment and I wouldn't mind who we got in. Think what we need is some one who can score a goal from every 2-3 chances given, that way if we are 1-0 down or 0-0 we have the potential to pick up points.
Can't see Keane coming from Spurs to West Ham
depends whether Dux is still at the club LOL
Keane for Parker or Upson would be what Harry would want.
would Harry deal with Dux after his stance in the past few years….or is Dux not a factor any longer??
Duxbury was said to have left his post during the takeover events, with Brady and Sullivan taking over day to day running
thats interesting, hadnt heard that before……cant be reading these blogs closely enough lol
From BBS.co.uk:
Scott Duxbury has stood down as chief executive, with Sullivan and ex-Birmingham managing director Brady taking over the day-to-day running of the club.
Full Article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/…
Van is injury prone,Huntelaar has no playing time at AC/DC Milan get him on loan he is classy finisher and young, get Babbel to supply the crosses,Wow!
As a Dutchman I of course would love to see more Dutch fellows at West Ham but and to be honest I think both Ryan Babel as wel as Huntelaar are realistic targets.
But to be honest, I would rather see Ruud in our squad then Huntelaar. Huntelaar is nothing but a goalscorer. Ruud has great football skills as well.
dutch hammer what do you know of the following players.
j. de guzman feyenoord out contract summer
s. caladro vvv venlo out contract summer
bas dost heracles – seems to vg young prospect…what do you think?
De Guzman:
Age 23, used to be a real talent. Feyenoord wanted to sell him this summer because of his contract coming to an end next summer. They didnt succeed as he has been injured for a long, long time. He is back on the fields since nine weeks, but didnt play for 1.5 year! I believe he would be a hot prospect for the future, but no instant impact.
Sandro Calabro:
28 years old, has a great season for a mediocre club in the Netherlands. No way he is good enough for PL football. Has played Dutch 2nd league most of his career.
Bas Dost:
21 years old, making rapid progress. played low division teams till his 18th birthday, after that making huge progression. Clubs like Ajax and PSV seem to be interested, but people who know the game are saying he wouldnt be good enough for that level. Would be to much of a gamble to sign him IMHO.
Were on earth did you find those names?
i took one month off here and spent it on transfermarkt.co.uk its really interesting looking at the worlds players trying to find bargains. The amount of players out of contract or coming out of contract means that possible bargains exist and cheaply if you look. trouble is just stats and no gaurantee that form from one league can transfer to ours, so to have someone who has seen players is useful for me. For example of a free bargain, i liked a 19 year old c/def called rogne from stabaek in norway…he had played for u21's at 19 already. To me this indicated potential and he has now been signed by celtic in scotland. I feel this is a opportunity lost and i have a whole book now of players that i believe the club should scout. We have little money and cannot rely on academy solely.
you cannot gaurantee ok for uk, but if they cost nothing or little…you may make money even if it fails on a resale later. Also if bought now you obtain for probably one quarter or fifth of real market vale, cos clubs get nothing in summer. EG with guzman or gentner in germany…gentner has a value of 7 mill euros, but if we acted at start of window could of got for say 1.5 mill….if it fails we would not lose on deal due to resale. guzman has value 6.5 mill and the same would apply…both in euros. The site is usually in euros (its german) but its free, unlike ims scouting where to get details you must pay. It shows injuries but in german for example, it converts to pounds if you put cursor over euros. Its just useful and gives good breakdowns of players etc….take a look.
hungary recently had a fantastic skillful crop come through, they were 3rd in a youth championships. They also beat italy 2-0 and played them off the park. A lot of that lot are still in hungary and are very cheap…around 250k to 500k euros. Can they make it in uk ??? Everton have noticed and have taken gosztonyi a att mid on trial from saturday, they have little cash and for maybe 300k euros could find a gem. Its imo what we should be doing, not wasting time on old short term has beens on high wages….eg ruud has not been out of r.madrid cos not good enough, but due to injury. If he costs 2 mill at 33 (34 in july), does it not make more sense to buy 4 players from the hungary lads instead ??? The highly rated subotic and Kjaer are both expensive now, but were not 2 years ago when playing at smaller clubs…..speculate to accumulate !!!
Mr Sullivan has been quoted as saying "We have a crisis and you have to have a different strategy to what our long-term strategy will be."
I think what youre describing would be a potential long term strategy, not something you'd want to start during the mid-season transfer window with the prospect of relegation looming. We need established players in a couple of positions to pull us clear but also need to avoid the kind of wreckless purchases we did in January 2008, which ultimately kept us up but at a horrendous cost that we are only now seeing the full extent thereof.
Van would be the man especially short term. Also I really hope Tony Fernandez and G&S can work together. My worry is surely anyone with such strong biz credentials would want to run the club their way.
If the 3 of them could find a solution together the club could be quite dynamic. The gritty know what it takes attitude of G&S with the innovative Tony Fernandez. I can imagine him being able to bring good revenue and links through F1.
mmmmmm a claret and blue F1 Car…..
Steve,
TF spoke about if he had got the club he would bring in money from F1 so that it worked both for West Ham and Lotus. Here's the link.
Maybe as a fan he will invest some money???
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues…
Thanks Berkshire, lets keep our fingers crossed that they can work together as commercially we would get some really good exposure.
A good article one again by our good friend Jason Burt. It is only 3/4days since the takeover was completed and as the desperate duo said they have a 7yr plan for the club. If Tony Fernandes is able to sit down and talk through his vision & with DD also putting their cards on the table, I am sure that in time the bridge will be crossed and an amicable agreement reached.
So what do you think might happen if TF gets a share in West Ham, I recon the first thing will be Claret & Blue livery on the Lotus F1 car!
It will be interesting to see who the David's are able to bring in. Van Nistelroy would be an absolute coup to the rest of the PL. WE are aware that an offer for Benni Mccarthy has been lodged. However as David Gold said I am looking for strikers who are able to score goals. 11days & counting.
harry said he wants four strikers and would like ruud, but its only if he offload pav first….eg get 10 mill for pav, buy ruud for 2 mill and then have 8 to spend on a new c/def that he wants to bring in…..typical harry dealing
I posted this yesterday on a previous thread
RVN – can't afford his wages. However if somehow we can find the money then go for Huntelaar from AC Milan instead.Needs to be playing in a World Cup year.
Beattie – kick it and lump it merchant. Doesn't play the way that Zola wants. Let's not forget that when Bellamy went it actually did us a tactical favour and allowed Zola to get the team playing his way
Hutton – forget it. He's as much a Premier League footballer as Quashie.
Yak – still finding his fitness after a long injury
Benjani – see Hutton.
Balotelli – I'd rather we took a chance on getting someone like Davide Di Gennaro from Milan on loan. 21 years old, spent the last 3 years on loan at Reggina, Genoa and Bologna. Desperate for football.
Bubbleblower, your points duly noted, however, I believe that what we need to bring into the squad this window is experience, not another young player with no premier league exprience. We cannot afford to 'take a chance' on anyone. We need a few quality players who have played at the highest level and especially for strikers, who can score goals.
I think we have far more chance of landing RVN than Huntelaar. I agree that Benjani is not the answer, he looked woeful when he cam e on the other day for Man City.
benjani came on for around 15 mins and i dont think i saw him touch the ball or move much for that matter.
Ruud Van Nistelroy is never going to happen. It is just a publicity stunt for the owners. It makes it look like they are going for the top end. Besides, Arry is trying to bring him in, and as Spurs can and will pay higher wages, and the potential for champions league football, or at least trying for champions league football, then it is extremely unlikely that he would come – that's if we have even bid, which I don't think we have. An enquiry, is not a bid
Beattie. Too slow, overweight, injury prone, getting towards the end of his career. Ok for home games perhaps but away, where Zola likes to counter-attack with pace and muscle, Beattie would slow down the whole move. A non-starter hopefully. Look at Stoke away – just an example of how ineffective their attack is away from home.
Benjani – this would be a better move than Beattie. In respect of wages, pace and power and age seems ok but he doesn't excite me enough though and I don't think he is a natural scorer. His touch isn't great either.
Balotelli – never going to happen
Keane. Commands a huge transfer fee. Big wages, and is not the sort of player we need. We need a big commanding muscular and quick forward with an eye for goal. Not many around!!! Also, the most over-rated player in the history of football. Why anyone thinks he is any good is beyond me. Waste of space. Runs around like a headless chicken, missing goals left right and centre. He has a lot of friends in the media – and that is how he is always talked up.
Pavlyuchenko. He's at tottenham and spurs will want a deal coming their way. Parker, cole, Upson – no chance. A non-starter for a player who's attitude is not what we want. Redknapp is talking him up lately in order to get him sold. Big transfer and big wages. A non starter.
Benni McCarthy. I have to say I think this will be a good buy, and probably a decent chance of landing him. His wages won't be excessive and his transfer might be in the region of £1.5million. Could be a steal. I never understood why McCarthy, who is Blackburn's best striker by a mile, doesn't play. I think the reason is he doesn't fit into Big Sam's style of play. A couple of physical men up front with power, and with dubious quality – McCarthy is the best player at Blackburn but seems disillusioned as he has every right to be.
A useful sub to have. Carlton Cole and another signing, with Franco and McCarthy on the bench is a lot more decent.
Huntelaar. I would love this but it again is a non-starter. Huge wages.
The sensible thing would be to get a loan in, with an agreement that if successful will be bought. We have this with Jimenez. The fact that he has been such a failure just means that we can cut our losses and return him to Inter. Otherwise it would have cost us in region of £6-£8 million. What a waste of money that would have been.
Also, if we have a transfer budget of 8 Million, it seems to me aht we can bring in McCarthy for £1.5, leaving a right back, and forward. I can see us paying a few million for Young and getting a loan on a striker.
Not many big strong quick men around who score goals!
good post andy.
RVN would have to take a significant wage cut OR Real Madrid would have to subsidise his wages for him to go out on loan. His contract expires at the end of this season so RM may view the opportunity to save £40-50k a week on his wages for the next 6 months as a decent bit of business. He is 4th or 5th choice at RM now so he is unlikely to feature in their plans. He is a very expensive reserve!
Whether he is fit enough only the scouts and a medical could say. Even at 33 he would represent something of a marquee signing.
Did anyone else see Sullivan on SSN yesterday? He was coming out of the Chadwell Heath training ground when he took a call, presumably from an agent. The first thing he said was, "What are the wages?"
Whatever I or anyone else feared about Sullivan (more than Gold) it is going to be entertaining!
Also, is it just me or does anyone else think it a little odd that we haven't had a statement from Zola. You think that the Davids, with all their publicity seeking, would take first opportunity to get Zola speaking on how wonderful it is to have stability etc and so on. Not a word so far.
Zola, what are your thoughts – why so quiet?
Andy, Its is only 3days since the takeover and probably Gianfranco has not had time to sit down to record an interview, with the transfer window only 11days away the priority is to highlight potential targets and leave the rest to DS to wheel & deal. He also has to continue training with the team ready for Tuesdays game against P'mouth.
TBH, I wonder if that's just because GZ seems so ill at ease in front of the media and that the new owners won't put any pressure on him to go in front of the cameras any more than he has to.
I think he has the makings of a very good manager, but he appears to be a little shy in post match interviews (which he has to do under sky contract), even when we don't lose!
No statement but vital football had a snipet from Gold speaking about a meeting with him and Clarke…………..
"It went very well. It was the first time I had met Franco and Steve."
"I was very impressed with both of them. You could see the relief on their faces that at long last they had someone to share their issues."
"I said 'What can we do and how can we help."
"Franco said – "I am not sure, I have never been asked that question before. But you could see Steve and Franco look at each other and it was clearly a boost for them."
"When we left after a couple of hours there was a bounce in everybody`s step and we are on our way."
"Morale was low – not just with the players and management but with the staff at the club we met."
"There have been great difficulties at the football club. They feel like they are on this ship which has no rudder and no captain."
"But that is no longer the case and together we can escape relegation."
i think we are more likely to sign Van Morrison than Van Nistelroy!
We can't afford his wages – end of.
Mcartney is a certainty and i think Keane or Pavlyachenko is a probable. I would expect to that Harry will let us have one or the other on the proviso that he can have first dibs on Upson or Parker in the summer.
Parker we need to keep and for him to have the Captains armband once & for all. Let Upson go to whoever unless he now decides to sign a new contract?
Oh and for what it's worth – i wholeheartedly agree with Andyhammer and think that Benni Mccarthy would be a great signing. Even at 32 he is Blackburn's best striker, he could play instead of or in pairing with Cole and he has the right type of footballing style as that which we are looking for.
Keane,couldn't afford wages.
Van Nists…..past his best
Beattie…do a job
Benni mccarthey …do a job,at 32 lost half a yard but wants to go to Africa.
One thing that is clear from all these messages is that we all seem to have a positive attitude all of a sudden without getting too far ahead of ourselves, which we clearly did before and the bubble burst again! This new attitude I believe comes from a knowledge that D&S have been very up front and very open and honest, which I certainly appreciate and hope it continues forever! I cannot honestly say who I’d like to bring in but with D&S at the reins (and hopefully Tony too at some point) and Z&C pitch side we have potentially the best management team in Football (and I include those billionaire owned clubs, who may just get fed up with their toy)so I have a lot of faith in their joint decision. Apart from seeing the Claret and Blue F1 car (how ace would that really be!!) we should now consider changing our beloved anthem to “and like my dreams we get real high”? or something like that! but at least it would explain waking up with a few more hard ons!COYI.
'Ruud is a realistic guy and he understands that if he wants to play at the World Cup he might need to sacrifice some of his salary.'
If getting to the wold cup is RVN's first priority, he will sign for us in a heartbeat. Where else could he go in the PL (the fastest and most testing league in Europe) where he could get a game every week in a team which plays passing football for a manager who has an intimite understanding of the technical side of the game?
He be daft to pass up the opportunity of coming to Upton Park!
it is the fastest and most testing league in europe….its also carries the worst long/short team injury record. If he comes here at 33 ((34 in july) his career maybe shortened and he may not goto WC, due to injury. Torres never had these injury problems in spain and is much younger than ruud, sorry i think we need younger/fitter players. silly to me paying 2 mill and high wages for him soon to get injured…..we have been here before with players and he lost his place at madrid due to injuries not loss of form.
we need players in prime condition, not expensive stop gaps. We have a awful injury record and the signings medical history and fitness is the priority. If not we will just sign another dyer situation.
Not sure about ol' Ruud's chances of going to the WC even if he plays regularly for the rest of the season. Were I Bert van Marwijk, I wouldn't touch him. Plenty of other options for the Dutch. I'd love it if he came to WH for the balance of the season as he's good for plenty of goals if he's fit, but I just don't see it. Were I him I'd just be trying to cash in at this point.
We have missed out on young prospects this window. I said about the 19 year old c/def rogne (norway u21), nodody was impressed, though he was out of contract…he has just signed for celtic. Everton have a lad from from hungary on trial from saturday, he is a highly rated attacking mid and from the hungary u21 team that came 3rd in the euros and recently beat italy 2-0….his cost around 400k i believe.
We do not need injury prone old has beens on high wages. WHU were monitoring giroud from tours in france, he is playing well, young and is tall….his cost 2.5mill euros. A apparent vg prospect is doing well in holland at hereacles called Bas Dost, he is supposed to be a top prospect and would cost poss 3.5 mill euros. This is the type of signing we should be making. If not go for boyd and beckford, both inform and playing with confidence….are they good enough ??? i dont know, but only one way to find out and at a combined fee of around 4.5 mill for the pair, not a massive risk for two 26 year olds.
I still would love to see Mamadou Niang (Olympique Marseille) in the PL.
Strongest striker I know playing Champions League level….
Scored about 15 goals on average in the French League since 04/05.
Together with CC he would be quite a imposing couple.
can you tell me about three others players please and i wont bother you again.
k. strootman sparta rotterdam…captain???
k. honda (japan full cap) ex- vvv venlo…now sold 6 mill to cska moscow…was he that good ??
d.adeleye…20 year old left footed c/def nigeria full cap…out contract summer at sparta rottrdam…is he any good ???
thank you for help
First of all: I think you overrate the level of the Dutch league. Dutch top five is comparable with 7-12 in the PL I think (e.g. Villa or Everton are same level as Ajax, PSV or Feyenoord).
Honda: very talented, has a great long-distance shot and perfect freekickcs. Very small guy. Now at CSKA but worth the money. Reminds me of Sneijder (Inter) for some reason.
Strootman: has a great season, put him on a shortlist but not for buying at the moment, just playing first team for a year now, reconsider in august. to much of a gamble.
Adeleye: great prospect, but has -lets say- the african spirit, which in his case comes with strange decisions, handsballs, absurd tacles, etc. If he manages to get red of that he might be the new Evra. His nickname is the Razor of Laos….
Biggest prospect in Dutch League: Douglas (Douglas Franco Teixeira), playing for FC Twente.
thanks for help.
We do not need to be signing 'young prospects' in this transfer window. We already have a host of young prospects at the club and they are not going to get us out of a relegation scrap. Part of the reason we are in the position we are is becuase of having to play too many of our young prospects due to the injuries to our first team players. What we need to bring in is quality experienced players to steady the ship and bring a greater depth to the squad. I have to agree that Niang would be a great signing but more than likely out of our budget if you believe what Zola has been given to spend.
yes but we are bringing in our youngsters from our system and they have no experience and i agree it has caused probs this year. But plenty of young players have league experience in europe (including in champions league etc ) and just cos they are young does not mean they are no good. Giggs, owen, beckham, rooney etc….all played very well at young ages. And you have some resale value with them and less chance of injuries. Ruud if we signed him…how long before he gets injured, he is nearly 34 (july), was out for 8 months and came back training on 1st july 09….since then also out for another month aswell. We need to be very careful on the older players injury record or our money spent could be wasted.
seeing as we loaned Faubert to Real Madrid last year, surely they should return the favour and loan us RVN.
After the way he performed it may go against us lol
Quite like a few players currently at Portsmouth too!
Bergovic (reserve keeper been playing since James was injured)
Belhadj – defender
Kaboul – centerback
Prince Boateng – midfield
Piquionne – striker
How about a crafty 20million bid for a job lot????
This would give us Very good cover with Very good players – thoughts anyone?
I agree with 1, 4 & 5 Paul.
Gudjohnson has'nt wanted to come to us for last 2 years so why would we want him now ?
Mc Carthey a real replacemnet for Ashton on the treatment table, not for me.
Van nostleboy passed it ,no better than any we have IMO.
Beattie worth a go if the price is right.
Keane top striker can't see it happening though.
Keane or Beattie would go well with either Cole or Franco.
Bergovic pompey keeper worth a look
How about Rodeaga from wigan ? spelt wrong ?
We need a right back .
e1 agree with you.
A lot of people have said we need a right back and i dont see it as a priority at moment. We have faubert,spector and behrami already…..behrami was a r/back at lazio….but i admit better in midfield for me, but can cover position.
apparently, babel is considering an offer from Birmingham. we would be a much more attractive proposition that Birmingham! his agent is quoted as saying it’d be simpler if he was to stay in the premier league!
if Birmingham can offer him something he would consider then surely we can!
we need to relearn how to use the wings – they’re the best route to a goal in football!
This is my team if we sign keane or beattie
___________________________ Green ______________________________
Spector ? Tomkins Upson Daprela
___________________________ Behrami __________________________
Fabuert Collison Parker ???????
Cole Keane / Beattie
Beattie, Keane????
Are you all blind? Keane is detested by the Spurs fans. they didn't want him back from Liverpool and he is regularly their worst player. Too slow these days.
Beattie is a lumbering ox who would offer nothing to West Ham. We need some pace up front. Both Cole & Hines have this, we have the guile with Franco.
I'm pleased to hear Luke Young might be a target. I suggested him pre-season.
Out of all those listed the most realistic and best buy would be McCarthy.
Devo I do get the point on keane but as an Irishman I must admit that if Keane was definatly playing every week I think he would be an amazing signing for this club. Him and CC would work perfectly and he would offer leadership at the top end of the field. if its a 6 month loan then I would honestly prefer him to Ruud. . . now probably biased I do admit!!
Just read over on BBC that Sullivan has an offer out to pay £100K/week for a striker. Could that be Ruud?
Link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/…
I doubnt its RVN because the article says that only 3 clubs are courting him of which WHU are the only English club. I heard redknapp saying he was interested during a press conference earlier this week.
My fear is that Luca Toni's name is going to come back at the end of this story.
No Toni has signed and played for Roma! So its a no for him
I think this may be Adriano I think he is still on a week to week contact at flamengo!!
I would love it to be Huntelaar but he is under contract, and in the interview he mentions an out of cobtract player!