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appyhammer78 12:24 Mon May 23
Ex WHU Employee latest column
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So we are in Europe after all. I personally cannot wait and think that it is a good thing for us for a number of reasons. Firstly European football under the lights is a great way to welcome the new stadium. Secondly, for years I have dreamt of European football to be a regular thing for us and whilst it isn’t the Champions League that we dreamt of it is a start. Thirdly, it may attract players to the club. Most players want to play in Europe even it is the Europa. Fourthly, arguably the most important reason is that we may be able to keep some of our players happy. We are lucky to have two brilliant goalkeepers; Randolph could play regularly in cup competition. Youngsters like Burke, Oxford and Cullen can get more games than they would without Europe and of course it is a chance to keep four strikers scoring. The last reason for me is that it may give some fans a chance to see the football at the Olympic stadium (Mahindra Stadium) who may not get the chance. Our season ticket sales have been phenomenal but as a consequence many have been left frustrated. This may mean some get the chance to go who would usually miss out. For me Europe is definitely a good thing.
So on to transfers and the start of what is to be a very busy window. We have had a well-publicised bid for Lacazette rejected. This bid was rejected. The bid did not break down because of payment structure, it was rejected because they wanted more money for him. The problem we have is that PSG have registered their interest and with Ibrahimovic (another one of our targets) leaving they want a top forward. The chance to raid one of their main rivals, for their best player has been appealing to them. PSG have a number of targets as well as Lacazette but Lyon know they have a man in demand and a man they can demand more for. To say the bid is “dead” is too early at this stage. It is early May so until the player joins another club, the bid cannot be said to be dead. The player has expressed his keenness to join an English club so there is a chance. Lyon have apparently named their price and we are looking to meet it again. Whether this will be enough with PSG being around I am not sure but the player is the number one target.
We have launched enquires for many players. Another “enquiry” that has got a lot of media attention is the discussion with Bournemouth for Richie and Wilson. As I said at the time we were “keen” on both players and spoke to his agent who passed on our interest to the club and leaked to the press. The discussions with the agent were not intended to become public and were not meant to come out just before Bournemouth played their last game. This was all triggered by his agent and then became a good excuse for the Bournemouth manager when they lost against Manchester United. We “enquired” as to their availability and we wouldn’t have paid anywhere near the £25m that the media reported.
As I broke in one of my previous columns we have also triggered Jamie Vardy’s £25m release clause. Whether we can persuade him to leave a spot in the Champions League with the current Champions is a different matter but we will offer a large wage to do so. We are apparently happy to double his wages and take him up to a huge basic wage.
Another player who we have launched a bid for and one I expect is the most likely to go through at this stage is Jonathan Calleri the Argentine who attracted the attention of the club whilst playing alongside Carlos Tevez at Boca Juniors. This deal will be more likely to be a loan move.
We have enquired about many forwards Batshuayi being the main one but he seems most likely to move to Spurs. There are domestic players in Benteke, the Ayew’s and Bony as well as a number of forwards who have scored in other countries such as Icardi and Embolo (someone we have monitored for a while but have doubts over). Another player who we are interested in but hasn’t been that well reported is Martin Braithwaite but again this is just an enquiry rather than him necessarily being a top target. There is some talk that Gignac, who we have been interested in before, could also be someone we move for. He is currently in Mexico and apparently not happy. No enquiry for him has been made but depending on how the other transfers go this may be revisited. Another name to watch out for that hasn’t been mentioned in any media circles is Benjamin Moukandjo, a Cameroon International striker at Lorient in France.
As far as right backs go I reported all the targets in my last column. These where Gregory van der Wiel, his PSG teammate Serge Aurier, Debuchy of Arsenal, Rafael da Silva the ex-Manchester United right back and a couple of other French right backs. Slav also has a couple from his Turkish days that he is interested in too. We have made an offer to Gregory Van Der Wiel but he has a number of offers but he is the top target there. If not the club may look at Debuchy.
Wingers are also a priority again last week’s column covered these. It has been well reported elsewhere that we would like Tore of Super Slav’s former club. Yes he is on there but meeting with Bilic in Turkey didn’t happen this week. There are many other wing targets on the list too and watch out for a former Premier League player who has had an outstanding season in France for Nice. Hatem Ben Arfa is out of contract this Summer and is a player the club would be interested in.
What we have to be assured in is that the chairman is working flat out to land the best deals for the club. We have already brought in Nordvteit who I had reported for months, so we already have one player in and we will sign another 6-8 players I think so it is early days and no need to panic.
In terms of player departures a number of clubs are lining up make an offer for Valencia. We will entertain offers for him and he is most likely to go to China who will pay large wages for him. This is also the likely destination of Alex Song too. Another player who we could let go is Obiang. I mentioned this in tweets about two weeks ago but Italian and Spanish clubs are interested in him and he has been frustrated at his lack of first team opportunities. He likes the club but is considering his options. If we land our forward targets there is a chance that Sakho will be allowed to leave. Bilic has lost some faith in him and would be prepared to let him go. Borussia Mönchengladbach has showed keen interest and there would also be domestic interest and from the French league. David Sullivan is a big fan of Sakho and has a lot of time for him so it will be interesting to see what happens with him. I think it will depend on how many forwards we land.
It is true that we are considering selling James Tomkins. Long term Bilic sees this first choice centre back partnership being Ogbonna and Reid. Both players are at an age where they can continue for a number of years now. James Collins provides excellent immediate back up and of course you have the highly talented Reece Burke and Reece Oxford providing competition too. Both these players are concerned about their first team opportunities. Burke’s contract is up next year and he is yet to sign. He is a huge West Ham fan but he has his career to think of and there is already a lot of interest in him. This week it has been well reported how Reece Oxford has rejected an initial contract. His agent has caused the club a number of issues recently but the club hope he will sign an initial £20k a week deal to keep both Manchester clubs away from him. This means that another West Ham supporter in Tomkins could be surplus to requirements. Both Crystal Palace and Sunderland, with two of his ex-managers Pardew and Allardyce, are front runners in moving for the player. We would be likely to accept a £10-£12m bid. O’Brien, Moses, Emineke and Song will all leave too and this will free up a lot of wages for players
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
Mex Martillo
10:10 Wed May 25
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Interesting read sounds good to me
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Stranded
7:50 Wed May 25
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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*don't know
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Stranded
7:49 Wed May 25
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Does that post mean we know who 'jinxed' is now?
I haven't got a twitter account, so don't how that works.
*polishes halo*
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Stranded
7:42 Wed May 25
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Hahaha!
Easy now, what would we talk about on here without the likes of ex-wh?
Well, other than jews
and muslims
and wasps
and retractable seating
and..
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One McAvennieeeeee
7:35 Wed May 25
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Noooooooooooooooooo. Someone please beg him to stay. How are we ever going to know anything now?!?!
Why does everything good in my life get taken away!
*angry emoji face*
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Stranded
7:26 Wed May 25
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Funny response to one of his earlier posts
WestHamTweets @tweet_westham 29m29 minutes ago
@ExWHUemployee @MitchWaddon mate don't go, the only transfer news we will have is the bullshit that Jinxed (@indykaila) spews all the time.
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Stranded
7:22 Wed May 25
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Looks like we may have seen the last of ex-whu..
https://twitter.com/ExWHUemployee/status/735508537565143041?lang=en-gb
Though I have a feeling his retirement might not be permanent?
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AKA ERNIE
1:30 Wed May 25
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Norman neither thanks
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normannomates
1:04 Wed May 25
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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AKA ERNIE
Has either little man syndrome or a small chopper..
Or perhaps both
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Sir Alf
9:24 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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The Ex WHU Employee? Seems like he is a walking news aggregator like newsnow.co.uk. Maybe he is an ITK but my BS radar is on red alert :-)
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AKA ERNIE
9:23 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Not at all just find it hillarious it's only a website
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Trevor B
9:20 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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You do seem to care a lot about what people may or may not think about Johnson though. Maybe you should care more about yourself ;-)
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AKA ERNIE
9:18 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Trevor are you pot or kettle ?
Couldn't give a toss what anyone on here thinks about me mate.
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Trevor B
9:16 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Personally I don't think anyone is being shown up here, unless you are doing that to yourselves. Then again, I'm not one to talk....
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AKA ERNIE
9:15 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Trevor well you are
Tbh mate I don't care it's just fun showing him up
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Trevor B
9:13 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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You realise that nobody is reading this ern, so it doesn't really matter?
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AKA ERNIE
9:09 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Haha yeah righto all you've done is backtracked and made yourself look like the gutless bottler you are.
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Johnson
9:07 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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No you've made a false accusation which as usual I've dealt with with aplomb.
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AKA ERNIE
9:05 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Not asked you a question moron
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Johnson
9:04 Tue May 24
Re: Ex WHU Employee latest column
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Don't bother doing what? Explain exactly what I mean when you ask?
What was it you were trying to lecture me about about not liking an answer so pretending it's never answered, you should practice what you preach.
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