David Sullivan has given an interesting interview,  in the Sports Mail, in which he talks of the plans for West Ham next season and beyond.

Revelation No. 1 is that Joe Cole has allegedly refused the opportunity to return to West Ham.  No real surprise there then!  Cole will want to go to a side that’s either qualified for the Champions League or has a good chance of doing so.   At c. 28  years of age, Cole is going to want to make the best possible move for himself.  Unfortunately, that means that he is  more likely to join Man Utd, Arry’s Spurs or mega-wealthy Man City. 

It would be nice to see  Joe Cole rejoining the club and contributing to a resurgence, but it is not likely is it?   Perhaps they should try again when he is 32 or 33 years of age and not so many attractive alternative offers are on the table? 

Speaking of ’senior’ footballers, Sullivan has declared his desire to sign Henry and Beckham for next season.  Apparently, Henry has been offered a £75,000 per week deal and Beckham a loan deal in January 2011.   To get them, Henry must reject the dosh available at MLS side, the New York Red Bulls and, presumably, Beckham must spurn the attractions of Milan.  I am not too sure about Henry, but I can just see the Beckhams turning their back on the stylish fashion salons and lifestyle of Milan, in favour of the alternative urban chic of Green Street!

Perhaps Henry and Beckham might fancy a last hurrah in the PL?  But at this stage in their careers are they worth the investment involved?  Maybe there is an incentive in the number of West Ham shirts that can be sold with two such high profile names on them?  Could be, but would they do equally as well on the pitch as in the club shop? 

Elsewhere in the interview, Sullivan offers teasing clues that he is pursuing up to 50 transfer targets, with 4 or 5 likely to sign.  Apparently two of those targets are a 20 year old Spanish centre half and an experienced German International.  Any educated guesses?   

Oh, and for all the Luis Boa Morte fans out there, the Portuguese Pele has been offered an contract extension on slightly reduced terms.  What a massive relief!  And there was also a heavy hint (or that’s the way it seemed to me) that Matt Upson could be on his way after the World Cup Finals, with him opting for a last opportunity at an unnamed ‘bigger club.’  Again, (at least for his critics) what a massive relief!

While, Carlton Cole has allegedly got a ‘Ledley King situation’ going on with respect to his knees.  Apparently, with care, Cole can play 30 matches a season, but whether he can play 45 is open to question?  The Co-Chairs obviously want to keep Carlton Cole.  After all, why would you declare publicly that one of your prize transfer assets has a long standing knee problem that could restrict his future appearances for any buying club?

David Sullivan also suggests tentatively that it might be a good thing if the other 3 Hammers in the provisional 30 man England squad, follow Cole in not being selected for the WC Finals.  The rationale being that they can all have some nice rest and relaxation, instead, and come back refreshed to the club for the start of pre-season training.    

Mmmmm…  in 1965-66, the West Ham side, in which Moore, Hurst, Peters and Byrne were fixtures, played a league programme, two FA Cup matches, reached the Semi-Finals of the League Cup and the Semi-finals of ECWC Final.  That’s a hell of a lot of matches.  Yet, three of the four were selected for the Finals and it brought untold distinction to them and unique reflected glory to the football club.   They were still back for pre-season,  two or three weeks later, and preparing for the start of the new season.  Now, admittedly, the current players are not Moore, Hurst and Peters, but come on, playing in the World Cup is the ultimate pinnacle for a professional footballer.  Surely, they do not need any incentive to do it, once every four years, and return to do the business in pre-season training for their club?

It is also confirmed that Avram Grant is the Co-Chairs’ managerial choice and should be arriving shortly.   Yet, like the proverbial feet of a duck, paddling frantically unseen, beneath the serene surface of a lake, it appears that they have explored lots of other options.  One likely recruit allegedly wanted mega bucks to fund the engagement of his existing coaching and backroom staff, another wanted a minimum transfer budget of £40m and a third would have joined, but got a last minute offer that was too good to refuse.   Could the latter candidate be none other than Jose Mourinho?  Damn, pipped at the post by  pesky Real Madrid!  It could prove a big, big, mistake Jose? Barca could be your wellington and La Ligue your Waterloo!  Far better to have shown just how special you really are by getting West Ham into the top six of the PL on a modest transfer budget of approximately £250.25p!

Finally, every organisation, every enterprise, needs an inspiring and enduring vison.  Ours is apparently to become the Arsenal of East London and Essex!  Well, no one can say that it lacks a certain ambition.  Personally, I would prefer to be the Manchester Utd of the south (no, Chelski, that most definitely is not you!).   Or is that just a touch too ambitious?

SJ. Chandos.

Sky Sports is reporting that West Ham have tabled a bid for Lyons striker Freddie Piquionne. My heart sinks. This is a player who is very good at putting himself about but not so good at putting the ball in the net. While at Portsmouth he managed to score 5 goals in 34 appearances. His record at other clubs is similar. He is also no spring chicken at the age of 31.

I thought the main priority was to make our strike force more prolific. So far we have got rid of two players, Franco and Ilan, who both had reasonable goal to game records. If we can get him for £1 million I suppose he would have something to offer from the bench. But that’s about all.

I am very despondent at this news. Surely we’ve got to be aiming to sign better players than this?

Someone in the survey suggested I should start a new West Ham related Twitter feed so you don’t have to put up with the politics stuff from my other one. So, hey presto, it’s done.

If you want to follow it, it’s @iaindalewestham.

Unfortunately someone in America had already nabbed @westhamtillidie but I am going to see if they will let me have it.

It won’t just be me contributing to it. I am going to see if S J Chandos and a couple of others might contribute too.

I note that there was a recent report in the Daily Express that, if appointed, Avram Grant will also bring in his assistant and back room staff from Pompey.  It cited the names of his Pompey staff and, to be honest, the only one I knew was Ian Woan, the former Notts Forest winger.

If Grant is appointed, I see him as a short to medium term appointment.  A three year contract should be just about right.  Part of the rationale for appointing him appears to be that he can stablise the ship, on a modest budget, whilst the club concentrates upon reducing its debt.   In the meantime, it is reasoned that he might be successful in picking up a League or FA Cup win and Europa qualification along the way. 

If that is the rationale, then it can either be seen as realistic or unambitious, depending on your point of view.  If the appointment is a given, then how about looking to plan a longer-term succession.  Why not dust off Ron Greenwood’s old England succession plan, foolishly ditched by the FA after the appointment of Bobby Robson.

Ron Greenwood learnt from West Germany’s model of appointing future managerial candidates to the coaching staff of their national team,  developing them alongside the current Manager and ensuring continuity and consistency in eventually selecting a successor.   At club level, Greenwood had previously followed much the same strategy with the development and eventual succession of John Lyall.

Why not retain Kevin Keen as first team coach and appoint a former Hammers player as Grant’s Assistant.   Alvin Martin’s name has been mentioned and perhaps Di Canio or Cottee could also be considered?  Or what about offering Bilic the role as Assistant, to enable him to acclimatise to PL management, with the promise of eventually moving up to take  on the role? 

The obvious response to this proposal is that Grant will want to appoint his own coaches.  He may not want to work with appointees not of his choosing?  That’s fair enough I suppose, but Gold & Sullivan should consider whether a complete break from the West Ham tradition is the way that the club should go?  Or whether a new Hammers managerial dynasty should be developed within the context of a transitional regime led by Grant?

Some skeptics may argue that the ‘West Ham tradition’ has not historically been that successful, in terms of honours won, and that a new broom is to be welcomed.  Well, that’s a legitimate view, but what’s to say that a Bilic, Cottee or Di Canio could not combine the West Ham approach with increased future success.  Also, the appointment of managers without a West Ham background have not always been  successful and in one or two cases have been disastrous.  In fact, Ron Greenwood is just about the only example of a non-West Ham man who was an unmitigated success  in the manager’s role.

From my perspective, it just appears that from Lyall’s sacking in 1989, through Redknapp’s dismissal in 2001 and the 2006 takeover of the club, there has been a net loss of identity and heritage.    One of the strengths of West Ham is the way in which fans identify with the club and the management of men brought up in the West Ham way.  This proposal could be a way of reinforcing that and negating the dangers of a complete regime change under Grant.

The club should not ‘chuck the baby out with the bath water.’  In hopefully moving forward, the club need to preserve that which is valuable and worthwhile, in our traditions, and look to change that which historically has not worked. 

Surely that is the best basis upon which to proceed?

SJ. Chandos.

This morning ’s edition of  The Sun contains a story alleging that Steve Clarke has now followed Zola out of the door at Upton Park, pending the negotiation of a financial settlement.

The report quotes an unnamed Hammers ‘insider’ as alleging that the 17th place finish sealed the former management team’s fate and that the decks have now been cleared for the new manager to bring in his own assistant.

The story also states with some certainty that Avram Grant will be unveiled as the club’s new manager on 2 June 2010. 

The Sun claim the reporting of Steve Clarke’s exit as an exclusive.  Certainly, by way of a caveat, it has to be acknowledged that this is currently an isolated report.  We can now only await an official statement of confirmation or denial to be posted on the club website.  As for the 2 June 2010 press conference, we shall just have to wait and see?   No doubt, wherever possible, we will all be keeping a close eye on SSN that particular day?

SJ. Chandos.

I have written previously about the enormous potential of Robert Hall and the indicators are that we could have another really top draw talent emerging from the Academy. 

Hall has consistently played at levels above his age.  Although only 16 years of  age, he has appeared regularly for the West Ham u-18s and is making quite an impression with England U-17s.  Earlier this week he fired the goal that saw the U-17s progress to the semi-finals of their version of the European Championships.  All in all, Robert Hall has scored 8 times in 14 appearances for the England U-17 side.  That is a better than 1 in 2 average.

At U-18 level for West Ham, he forms a very promising strike partnership with the Academy’s Colombian prospect, Montano.  And both youngsters will be looking to speed their development even further next season, with regular appearances for the Reserves.

If Hall maintans his current rate of progress we could see him, and indeed his strike partner, Montano, entering the first frame by the end of next season.  There are always ifs and buts where the development of  youngsters are concerned, but Robert Hall genuinely looks to be a future first team star in the making.

Elsewhere, it was good to see Jordan Spence get his first team debut against Man City.  Spence is a prospect that has a big reputation and he probably would have debuted earlier in the season, but for our poor season and subsequent relegation battle.  He is one that should be nailed on to make further first team appearances next season, whether at centre back or right-back.   

There are reports that Franco has been released by the club.  Personally, I feel that is a big shame.  Yes, he is 33 years of age, but he is also a player of significant technical merit.  I always enjoyed watching him play and, for me, his performances (Scott Parker aside) were one of the very few highlights in a poor season.  He could have been offered another year and, at worst, operated successfully from the substitutes bench. 

Similarly, I hope that Avram Grant, or whoever becomes the manager,  retains Diamanti and sets themselves the significant challenge of deploying him productively within the  context of the team unit.  Diamanti is a very talented forward and deserves another chance to show what he can really do in the PL.  I have consistently suggested playing him in ‘the hole ‘ or as a second striker, playing behind Cole or Nouble.  If Grant does, as rumoured, favour deploying a 4-3-3 formation then Diamanti could thrive in that system, alongside say Cole and Hines.

I will also be sorry to see the back of Ilan.  He really stepped up to the plate in the final few matches and his equaliser at Everton was a pivotal moment.   I can understand why he and the club might decide to part company, but if he goes, he goes with the my gratitude and best wishes for making such a vital ontribution.  Ilan could have took his money and just gone through the motions, but he did not, he made a real effort.   He combined well with Cole and gave us a timely boost by providing a real threat in the final third.

One of my greatest wishes is to see Mark Noble build upon his excellent final performances in 2009-10 and carry that sort of form in to 2010-11.  I feel that his future is as a holding midfielder, winning the ball and using his distribution ability to make decisive forward passes.  For that to happen, Kovac probably needs to make way to allow Noble to settle in that anchor midfield role.

Good luck to Jack Collison in his rehabilitation from injury.  Jack had a tough time last season, with the sad death of his father and ongoing injury problems.  We need this outstanding young prospect back asap,  fulfilling his potential both for West Ham and Wales.

Finally, I also feel that next season will also be crucial to the development of both James Tomkins and Junior Stanislas.  These youngsters have great ability and should really push on to tie down regular first team places.   Similarly, both Hines and Nouble should make a major first team impact in the next campaign.   Both have the tools to succeed, they just need to apply themselves and make it happen!

I am not sure how things are going to shape up on the transfer front, but we may well rely on these latter youngsters to deliver the goods at some point next season.  Lets hope, when needed, that they step up and do the business!

SJ. Chandos.

I’ve had an idea. I reckon it would be good to have a bulleet point round up of what’s in the papers posted every morning at 9am on the site. It would be a bit like each night I do the Daley Dozen political blogs round up on my political site.

This would provide a daily news feed of what’s going on in the transfer market, essentially culled from the newspapers and News Now, with links through to the original story.

I am sure SJ Chandos hasn’t got time to do this, and nor have I, so this post is really to ask if any of the regular posters out there fancy taking on this task, or whther two people might want to share it between them.

If anyone is interested, please email me directly.

By the way, I have sorted the spam in the comments (I think) and also added back the thumbs up and down feature as people seemed to miss it.

Scott Parker’s going nowhere says Karren Brady. Or does she? Telegraph report HERE.

Gold & Sullivan aim to allow supporters to invest in the club. Report HERE.

More than 800 teams took part. Well done to the Top 20!

I have compiled a New Season Survey for you take part in. You have the chance to give your views on this blog, who should be the new manager, the owners, a new ground, players you’d be happy to see transferred and much more. It will take around 10 minutes to fill in, but I think you’ll enjoy. I shall be emailing the results to David Sullivan.

To take part, click HERE.