For Hammers fans, it has pretty much been agreed that this is a frustrating transfer window. Beyond the rumours (which have been particularly fruitful this year), there appears to be a potentially dangerous undercurrent flowing through the ranks.
It has been said by a guy called Mark Driscoll that in a city, culture is born. Everything ‘downstream’ (ie society) of the city subsequently inherits it’s culture.This is going somewhere I promise.
What I can see happening at Upton Park at the minute is that at the very top, in the boardroom (ie in the City) something is stirring. I don’t think we will ever truly know the root of the waves, but I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the Tevez case. Let’s say 99% sure. Correction: In hindsight, this was me simply getting over enthusiastic. 99% is definitely a bit high and as Joe J points out below, I don’t want to fuel the Sheffield United ego’s!
It is clear that the current flowing out of the city (the Boardroom) is being inherited by everything downstream…and I think it does mean that Curbishley’s hand is being forced. (This is me trying to defend Curb’s here!)
Worst case scenario, we lose the Sheff Utd Mash-Up. We, and BG are out of pocket by a substantial sum of money….it means therefore that not a single penny is available for transfers unless we sell certain individuals to lowly clubs such as Fulham in order to raise funds.
I’m not trying to be a doom merchant here…more of a reality merchant.
The thing is, Zamora has even said it himself. That we need to sell more players:
Football is a business now and selling players is part of it.”
Asked if he expected more players to be sold off, Zamora said: “I don’t really know the ins and outs of what the club need to do but it is a possibility.
“I understand West Ham need some money but how much is anyone’s guess.”
If however the money raised from selling two ‘legends’ is to be used to bring somebody else in, then it would appear that that person is to be Valon Behrami. He is reportedly having a medical at the club this week, and we would be getting him at a fraction of the price. Potentially good business as he is a good player.
As he plays in a similar (if not the same) role as Lucas Neill, this rumour fuels further the possibility of Neill being re-united with Mark Hughes at Manchester City.
I guess the point to this whole post is that although it has been a pretty painfully boring and uneventful transfer window thus far, the reality check is that we may just need the money. BG may just be playing his cards right at the minute just incase Sheff Utd do get their hands on anymore money they don’t deserve.
Onto more exciting things. We are playing an actual game tonight!
I am personally looking forward to watching this. Yes, it is only Hampton and Richmond Borough but we are going to get a chance to see how the side are shaping up. How they look injury and fitness wise.
And, on a positive note, it has been rumoured that David Obua, who has been on trial at West Ham for the last 8 days, is going to get a game tonight. We will see.
So let’s take hope. Next year is a new year. We have ‘new’ players to see even if we haven’t signed anyone in some respects.
I think patience is the key.
Sam
We are not the only club not spinning around doing transfers and as for the whole, we don’t have money thing and the boring Sheff utd affair, im not going to be made paranoid ny scaremongering rumours and trash that comes out of newspapers.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
“…money raised from selling 2 legends” you havent been supporting West Ham long have you?
Fair enough Zamora scored the odd important goal and I will always have frustrating and fond memories of him and Paintsil was quality purely on a comedy/effort basis but come on…”LEGENDS!?” A term that is being used far too freely nowadays, I’m not even old and I can remember a time when you had to earn that sort pf status.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Im dissapointed that a hammer has written this. Listen the whole world is about to enter a huge recession. Everyone is looking to save money. As for Sheff Utd, ur talking Crap. Zammo says there might be more so what it might rain later as well. Dont stir it up u should know better
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
West Ham legends are called Bonds, Brooking, Moore and Hurst, not PANTS or Zamora!
I’m certainly not disappointed Curbs hasn’t been given a fat wad of cash to go and blow on useless players like LBM and Quashie (At least he’s got a car named after him). Just think how much ticket prices would have to go up then??????
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Is this the same Mark Driscoll who was speaking in Brighton last week? He knows his stuff.
I think we should all relax and wait to see what actually happens instead of getting in a twist about hearsay and inuendo.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@ Damien…calling people legends these days is just a tongue in cheek sort of saying. People do use it freely…it’s just become a figure of speech. For example, Thomas Repka was a legend. I’m pretty sure that Sam doesn’t think that Zamora is a legend just as Bobby Moore is a legend.
@ nails…it is true that everyone is looking to save money.On things like bread milk and petrol.
West Ham are looking to save money by not paying stupid money for players any more. By not paying players stupid money any more. And by being cautious about the Sheff Utd case…which is simply what Sam has written. He is not stirring anything up at all, nor is he fabricating rumours…by his own account he is simply being a “reality merchant”.
It is unusual for somebody to try and take over a club, not succeed and then be employed by the people who beat him to buying the club in the first place.
It is also unusual for a club to say to their ex-chairman that he is not welcome at the club anymore and then go back on that and say he is again welcome.
Coincidently the people in the aformentioned cases happen to be key figures in a lawyers defence case for a club who are being sued for approximately £25m by another club.
Sam is therefore not talking any crap at all…it is a reality that we may lose the tevez case…thus making us £25m out of pocket. approx. He never at any point says we “are likely to lose it” or “when we lose it”. He says it is a “worse case scenario”
I would also say that if you read the whole post properly, there is an air of optimism about it. A looking forward to next season.
There is a also a defence posed as to why we may not be buying players at the minute and an encouragement not to get frustrated.
COYI
and later, it will rain.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Who are the two legends you refer to here? Bobby Z? Popular, but noones idea of a legend. Same goes for Paintsil. Surely not Lucas Neill who came to us for the money and will move on for the same reason. Anton, at least he never kissed the badge. 99% sure! I am 100% sure you are totally unsure of the reasons for our cash being strapped but a betting man might just go with the fact that our Chairman is a banker at the worst time for global banking in 30 years. 3 words mate. Global credit crunch.
Good luck to the boys in Richmond tonight, pre season has really hurt us the last two years… lets just hope we come through unscathed.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I would just like to clarify that I DO NOT class Zamora or Pantsil as legends in the truest sense of the word.
I simply thought they brought a lot to the club and it was a real shame to see them both leave.
In hindsight, legend was probably the wrong word to use!
And to all the genuine West Ham legends out there, I didn’t mean to take anything away from your status!
@Malc, yeh it is the same Mark Driscoll who was speaking in Brigton last week. He has nothing to do with football, but his analogy worked for what I ws trying to get across…was you in Brighton for the conference?
Sam
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Also @ London Laurie
In hindsight again I would say that 99% was a bit excessive…I got carried away!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
“The thing is, Zamora has even said it himself. That we need to sell more players”
Do you seriously think that Zamora is more privvy to the in’s and out’s of our financial situation than either you or I. I don’t think so somehow, all he has heard is the same as us and that is press talk and maybe it has been coming from the club but don’t you think they’re being a bit on the schrewd side here, they are hardly going to go around shouting that we are a buying club are they, ban g, double the price for anyone. A very schrewd move by a very schrewd businessman.
My money is on Neil, Green, Ashton and anyone else staying unless they are fringe players. NO first team player (maybe with the exception of one central defender)will be leaving this summer but we will be signing some young future prospects.
Curbishley has been given a job to do. First it was to keep us up, then last season it was to establish us which he did very well under the circumstances and this season will probably be to try and get to europe or at least be challenging, followed by a season of MUST be in europe. By the end of that season, the young players will be coming through, then and only then will you start to see any real challenge at the top four.
A five year plan was laid down according to Egg and that five year plan included establishing the best youth around for good prices.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Bobby Zamora & John Paintsil (or Pantsil) what a sale well done to who ever pulled off that deal ! West Ham are doing what nearly every other club are doing, tightening there belts, we are overstocked with players, we need to offload a few more, get rid at the same price as Bobby went and we are laughing, bring in a couple of better quality, and we can move on and upwards. If sheffield Utd win there case the whole of football will be in chaos, there are eleven players in a team, if papers were full of good news, oh what a wonderful world, it just is not going to happen, this is West Ham, have faith.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I am surprised you have these 99% feelings Sam, there is no way West Ham will lose the case, we was guilty yes but we paid the fine and suffered the humiliation, all this post does is feed the hunger Sheff U fans need to better their thoughts of revenge.
Is it so wrong that for once we spend the transfer kitty in a sensible way, signing young players and brinning in players that actualy have to prove they are what we at West Ham want playing for us, ie Obua, Behrami, etc.. The tide is changing and West Ham are the new pioneers in the way Transfers will be dealt with in the future.
C’Mon Yu Irons!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I was there,Sam. What a time was had by all. I wonder how many other brothers are out there in Claret and Blue Land? Dave Holden has followed them for years – me for 42 years and my two sons since birth! Let’s hope the Top Man blesses again this year.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
zamora was a credit to the claret and blue, always a trier but hardly a legend. JP didn’t play enough to leave a lasting impression.
NO MONEY. Not strictly true no money for over priced over paid mediocre players. At last the signings seem to be for the future of the club not £4 to £6 million for players nearing their sell by date. As a supporter of 50 years I feel the introduction of the new transfer policy initiated by Nani will be great for the club.
We have, for a number of years, needed a board who can consolidate the club. We have sufficient quality to be safe in the EPL but need to stop being a club always looking for the quick fix in the transfer window for the coming couple of seasons.
Our strength as a club has always been the acadamy and we look to be heading back to our roots.
Sure, we need at times to buy proven experiance, but not players with proven treatment table experiance.
West Ham fans are used to waiting for success and will continue to do so until these policies have time to succeed. As with Man U and their policy in the 1990′s the acadamy will produce a blend of young players used to each others game and benifiting from the experianced players in the first team.
If you want to see another true Hammers legend he will be at Richmond tonight in the home team dugout!!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Great contribution kennyhammer,
Good shout about Devonshire tonight too, a genuine Legend
please see changes to article in response to comments
Sam
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Sam, I would add that in the unlikly event of SU winning their case,an appeal would follow by WH and this may drag on, much to the alarm of the FA.
I truly do not feel that BG would ever look at the negatives whatever the outcome. His 5 year plan is rolling and SU are small change in the big picture.
This was an ill advised action by SU and their chairman with the legal costs being extremely detremental to the SU budget far more so than to WH
so no cause for concern.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I really do hope you are right!
It’s only very recently that I have started being slightly concerned, you have put me back at ease!
Sam
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Good Post after edited, certainly gives some interesting feedback.
No main players starting tonight, looks like the main 1st team players will be flying out ahead tonight.
Easyjet have secured some seats in the cargo hold.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Joe J. I like the bit about easyjet, makes you wonder what would happen if DiCanio was still in the squad!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Let’s not over-egg the sheff utd court case. West ham have no case to answer to sheff utd, or to anyone else on this matter. There’s zero chance of west ham paying anything to sheff utd (or anybody else) over this matter. End of.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0