West Ham's admirable transfer approach
There’s something all-English and attractive about West Ham United. Perhaps it stems from their influence on our heroic 1966 World Cup winners, or maybe it’s the quality production line that has proven to be the gift that just keeps giving down the years.
London’s east-end club has certainly given this nation its fair share of players. Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole and Jermain Defoe have amassed 383 international caps between them and bagged 62 goals.
Between them, they have won every honour available in club football. 18 Premier League titles, nine FA cups, nine league cups, two Club World Cups, one Europa League and three Champions League medals.
Even if England have faltered at the quarter-final stage numerous times during the aforementioned players careers, they have no doubt reached the mountain peaks in football. Whilst World Cup honours are of course unparalleled accolades, I don’t go along with the notion that if you don’t do it there, you can’t be considered great (Lionel Messi IS one of the greatest to ever play the game – fact).
As any Hammers fan will know, none of these players achieved these feats at Upton Park.
Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe were the last of the prestigious batch to depart the Irons back on 2004 (Both for Tottenham) and since then the Hammers have spent three seasons in the Championship, have finished no higher than ninth in the Premier League, had Carlton Cole as their top scorer for a remarkable four seasons in a row and lost a titanic FA cup final to Steven Gerrard. Sorry, Liverpool.
A string of less than imposing foreign imports on the pitch and upheaval in the boardroom has contributed to a turbulent time for the club. In the 10 years in question, there have been three different owners varying from the stable Terrence Brown, the eccentric and ambitious Eggert Magnusson to today’s combination of ex-Birmingham chairman David Gold and David Sullivan.
Seriously, remember some of these names that have walked through the illustrious doors at Upton Park?
Sebastian Schemmel, Yaniv Katan, Savio (£9m!!), Diego Tristan, Lars Jacobson Titi Camera, Hayden Foxe and Ragnvald Soma all turned out in the claret and blue since the turn of the century. 154 appearances in all competitions that bunch racked up.
Sam Allardyce took the reins in 2011 and has sought to steady the ship with his combative but generally result yielding style. Promotion via the play-offs in his first season, followed up by 10th and 13th place finishes have given the West Ham faithful renewed hunger for more.
After a slog of sorts to mid-table safety last term, Allardyce’s Andy Carroll embodied fashion is no longer compatible with West Ham’s progressive ideals.
Careful not to run before you can walk, Hammers.
West Ham have done terrific work so far this window. The £7m acquisition of Cheikhou Kouyate, 24, from Anderlecht must be considered a coup given the reported interest from top European clubs in the Senegalese international.
A very mobile and athletic 6”3 centre half is an exciting option in a position West Ham were incredibly depleted last term. Basically, you don’t sign Roger Johnson on loan if you’re swimming in options.
Aaron Cresswell, also 24, is another shrewd move from Big Sam and must be considered a snip at £3.75m. The Liverpool-born left-back finished second for assists in the Championship last season laying on 13 goals for his team mates.
His set-piece prowess has been likened to Leighton Baines, and he certainly provides a threat from dead balls as well as whipping in from wide in open play. Joey O’Brien and Matty Taylor could only do so much for West Ham, this is undoubtedly another area strengthened.
Diego Poyet, 19, son of Sunderland manager Gus, is another strong signing who earned rave reviews for his performances in a Charlton shirt since his debut in January of this year. A classy and creative defensive midfielder who was named Charlton’s player of the year after only 20 appearances, has joined West Ham on a free transfer after his contract ran down, though Charlton will receive some compensation down the line.
Mauro Zarate, 27, is an exciting signing who many fans may remember from his loan stint with Birmingham back in 2008. It could be argued he’s not a natural born goalscorer, but his feet and inventive style could be the imaginative outlet West Ham have tendered to bypass in recent years. An absolute steal on a free transfer and well worth a punt.
At the point of writing this, Ecuadorian striker Enner Valencia, 25, is undergoing a medical ahead of a proposed £13m transfer to West Ham. This deal will no doubt be the deal capturing the fans imagination.
Three goals at the World Cup finals, as well as a strike against England in the weeks prior, put the Pachua forward on all of Europe’s radar. Valencia struck 18 times in 23 games for the Mexican side as well as having a record of 7 in 13 for his national side. That indicates a predator.
But do West Ham have cause to be concerned? Cast your mind back four years ago to when West Ham signed another impressive star of the World Cup from Mexico.
His name was Pablo Barerra, an electric right-winger who had shone brightly with his direct and pacey displays for Mexico in South Africa. The Hammers paid £4m to prize Barrera away from his club Pumas before shipping him out on loan to Real Zaragoza only a season later - with no goals or assist to his credit.
Big Sam is also said to have tabled a £9.5m bid for Ukraine international Yevhen Konoplyanka, 24, last week, though Dnipro are understood to be holding out for the players release clause of £12m.
Whether they manage to pull of that deal or not, that’s excellent ambition from the club. I’ve been super impressed by the diminutive winger every time I’ve watched him play and he especially gave Glen Johnson a torrid time during our qualifying campaign for the finals in Brazil (which is becoming a less impressive feat to be fair). I don’t see why he cannot be a part of a top four club for sure, and he’s certainly leagues above Stewart Downing and the every trying Matt Jarvis.
Should the expected Valencia deal come off, that takes West Ham’s spending to just under £24m, which suggest that the board are fully behind the manager and he’s going all out to make a change.
The most the Hammers ever spent in a transfer window was just over £34m back in the 2006/07 season fresh off the Magnusson takeover. £14m of that war chest was spread over Callum Davenport, Julian Faubert and Luis Boa Morte, by the way.
Either way, I think that’s a marvelous body of targets this summer and it certainly bucks tradition for Big Sam. All of the players are of a good, young age and are exciting, productive players. He’s addressed problem positions from last season and is clearly looking to inject the squad with some more palpable creative influences, which is certainly more pleasing on the eye to a paying crowd.
It’s a prosperous time for the Hammers faithful. The right steps are being taken to move the club forward and not just battle their way to mediocrity every year. A club with the heritage and roots to the core of English football of West Ham, certainly deserves as such.
