Question

Discussion in 'West Ham United' started by west_ham, Jul 12, 2005.

  1. west_ham

    west_ham Member

    Oct 3, 2004
    Peterlee, Co. Durham
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Scotland
    Does AP have to wrap things up with regard to transfers before he goes on his Hols to Sweden?

    If so he'd better get his skates on with the last couple of signings.
     
  2. Birminghammer

    Birminghammer New Member

    Jun 19, 2005
    Wiltshire, England
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Chris

    I am sure that phone/fax/e-mail can be utilised, but I get your point - leaving things a bit late isn't he.

    [Ade said he might be coming down at the weekend but he doesn't get back from Paris until Friday so it'll be a last minute thing. Good to see Mum/Sooz/Connor.Meggan at the weekend just gone.]

    Laters

    Andy
     
  3. norwaytips

    norwaytips Member

    Oct 4, 2004
    Oslo, Norway
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Don't worry, there's plenty of time. Pardew has very little to do with negotiations over transfers. Most of this is done by wormtongue Aldridge. AP selects the players he is interested in, but from then on, contact is between Aldridge and the various agents, tho' of course AP is consulted along the way.

    Transfer window is open until almost the end of August I believe. Tony.
     
  4. Chadwell

    Chadwell New Member

    Jun 29, 2005
    North Carolina
    Also, as AP stated in an interview recently, until the large (G14 type) clubs finalize their transfers, clubs like West Ham just have to wait to see what "scraps" get left on the table.
     
  5. OrlandoSPUR

    OrlandoSPUR **** the Nomads

    Apr 8, 2005
    Orlando, FL
    So with the Irons back in the Prem and a few signing's going on. What do you think of the players who have come in? what are your 'true' aspirations for the season? Who will shine for the Hammers? Which team would you most like to see the Irons beat ;) ?

    I have too say I think WHU will stay up and will end up between 13th and 16th.
     
  6. claret50

    claret50 Member

    Oct 3, 2004
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    A good question Orlando, I think AP's done really well with what he had to play with, (dosh from Brown that is) to me, Yossi will shine, along with most of the squad this season, as for league position at the end of our first season back in the Prem, I'd be more than happy with mid-table, and lastly, I don't care who we beat, just as long as we do! ;)
     
  7. OrlandoSPUR

    OrlandoSPUR **** the Nomads

    Apr 8, 2005
    Orlando, FL
    we were linked with Yossi for three years in a row, it will be interesting to see how he fairs in the Prem. I am also looking forward to seeing if Zamora can cut it with his second attempt. And for a young players I would like to see Ferdinand and Noble. Are there any other young players who may catch the eye?
     
  8. Sxboy66

    Sxboy66 New Member

    Oct 6, 2004
    I'm over here!
    I've got no worries about Yossi making the grade after seeing that video. Bobby Z does concern me, I think he's twice the player he was but I'm not sure it's enough. I'd love to see him prove me wrong, he deserves it just for never giving up.
    I think Etherington will shine in the Prem. I think Pardew does too which is why he was so happy when Matty signed a new 4 year deal. Mark Noble will also make a name for himself IMHO. I don't expect we'll see Hogan Ephraim in the 1st team until the '06-'07 season but if he does make an appearance this time round he'll attract some attention too. Same applies to Chris Cohen.

    If we can finish 14th or better at the first attempt I'd consider it a job well done but West Ham have consistantly surprised and horrified me in equal measure for the past 40 years so anything is possible.

    I know you'd expect me to say the team I'd most like us to beat is Spurs, well I'd be a Happy Hammer if we did but the 'Most like to beat' award for this season goes to........ Bolton. They've got too big for their boots, they over achieved last season and it's gone to their heads. It's time they were slapped back down to reality.
     
  9. Birminghammer

    Birminghammer New Member

    Jun 19, 2005
    Wiltshire, England
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Sxboy66

    I tend to agree with you about Bolton but this could be coloured by this quote: (from The Fiver - a football mailshot ran by The Guardian)

    "If he (Yossi Benayoun) didn't want to come to a club like ours, which
    is a great club, then he went to West Ham for more money. I think it
    was very stupid, a big mistake. Good luck to him" - Anyone else get
    the impression Sam Allardyce didn't really mean the last bit?


    I think Sam needs a big hat foro his big head.(norvern munkee) :mad: Incidently I also think his hybrid of Rugby League and Football will come a cropper against a team of genuine skill and artistry.......... such as us.
     
  10. Sxboy66

    Sxboy66 New Member

    Oct 6, 2004
    I'm over here!
    I did see that quote Andy and I think that's what swayed my decision.

    It's a bit rich coming from a man who has assembled the biggest bunch of foreign mercenaries the league has ever seen, most of whom had never heard of Bolton before they signed and most probably still couldn't point to it on a map.

    Yossi's agent apparently responded by saying that the offers made by both West Ham and Bolton to the player were identical, Yossi WANTED to join West Ham. Sam's just a sore loser, sod him if he can't take a joke. ;)
     
  11. OrlandoSPUR

    OrlandoSPUR **** the Nomads

    Apr 8, 2005
    Orlando, FL
    ...appreciate your responses. I believe out of the promoted teams, the hammers have done the most to improve the quality of their sqaud. It will be interesting to see how Collins and Gabbidon do against some of the best strikers in the world week in week out. Etherington has definitely started to fulfill the promise at West Ham that he failed to show at Tottenham. Good little player, just showed how useless some of Tottenham's previous managers have been at seeing quality.

    I feel the big question is about goals, can Zamora, Teddy and Harewood score goals in the Premiersip? I have no fears for Teddy he will get around 10, but he can not be relied on. It is for the legend that I would like to see you stay up, it would be a depressing end to a quality football player and guy's career.

    To be honest I really want Tottenham to beat the Hammers in both games this season, not saying that it is a given, but the crap that I will read on the various football chat sites will be a nightmare if Spurs lose. And it won't just be from WHU, but also from Chelski and Scum fans.
     
  12. Colm

    Colm Member

    Aug 17, 2004
    UK
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    aye totaly agree, Wigan have done fcuk all and i reckon they'll come bottom, West Ham and Sunderland i reckon will stay up, as for who do i want to beat this season it has to be Arsenal and Chelsea (only due to frank) oh and i wouldn't mind beating west ham aswell as i've been reading a few message boards and i know what would happen if spurs lose.

    good luck
     
  13. TheNewOrleansHammer

    TheNewOrleansHammer New Member

    Oct 5, 2004
    New Orleans
    Which team would you most like to see the Irons beat ?


    Man U at Old Trafford, while watching it live on TV in the Local Irish, just so I can see the look on all of those face when me, as the only Hammer in this city, starts singing Bubbles at full time.
    That my friend is the dream!
    The only thing that would make it sweeter is, if the above happened at New Wembley sometime in May.
     
  14. OrlandoSPUR

    OrlandoSPUR **** the Nomads

    Apr 8, 2005
    Orlando, FL
    Hope it comes true. What is up with the Man ure/WHU rivalry, does that stem from the Paul Ince transfer? Or is it something from further back?
     
  15. Birminghammer

    Birminghammer New Member

    Jun 19, 2005
    Wiltshire, England
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    For me it is the natural antithesis that most decent people feel towards Man Utd but exasberated by the season when Blackburn won the Premiership at Anfield on the day we drew with Man Utd at UP. It was valiant effort which was criticised by Alex Ferguson in a fit of pique, post match.

    He claims that 'we only raised our game because it was against United', inferring that we made every effort so that they would not win the title. Whilst this may be true, and universally applauded by every other fan, it does show the breath-taking arrogance of Man Utd - like we're suppossed to bow down and let them win just because they are ManU.

    To be fair we took quite a battering, but ho hum, the right team didn't win on the day.

    Judas Ince running into their arms whilst flicking v's over his shoulder doesn't help either. I was at the Wolves game last season when he scored and started mugging it in front of the West Ham, I thought a riot was going to break out, I haven't seen that much passion outside and Old Firm match. Tw@t.
     
  16. amancalledmikey

    Oct 27, 2003
    I have a bindle at this point...
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Clearing it all up in one post :)

    What do you think of the players who have come in?

    To be honest, I've been somewhat underwhelmed. For me, Roy Carroll is dreadful and the worst keeper we've started a Premiership season with since Ludo's season too far in 1997/98. Gabbidon and Collins are unknown quantities at this level, which is a different game to internationals and Division 1. Benayoun comes with a good reputation but this isn't international level and this isn't Spain. Plenty of creative midfielders have come here and struggled. Look at Mathieu Berson at Villa. Konchesky is solid enough for the level, of a decent age and is in a position we needed a player for, so I'm relatively happy about his signing.

    The plusses of these signings is that they are all in the right sort of age bracket. Games in the Premier League are won by players between the ages 25 and 29, generally a player's prime, which may be expanded a couple of years either way in some circumstances. These players, with the exception of Collins, all fit in that bracket. So, while I may be misjudging their ability or adaptability, they at least have the right sort of age.

    What are your 'true' aspirations for the season?

    To shut up the people who say we'll finish bottom. Anywhere between 10th and 15th and, after November, not being in relegation trouble would be nice.

    Who will shine for the Hammers?

    Depending on fitness and injuries, I would expect Matt Etherington to be getting calls from the Press to be an outsider for the England squad. I think Marlon Harewood could shock some people, especially if we land the big striker or he plays most of the season at right forward in the 4-5-1.

    Which team would you most like to see the Irons beat?

    Bolton. I was there when we lost to Bolton and sealed our relegation fate (a draw that day would have kept us up) and they have become the house of cards that we were in the couple of years before we were eventually relegated. They are the typical dour team with an arrogant arse of a manager and a couple of flair players. The whole Benayoun affair just confirms what I think about him. Apparently, the Benayoun quote in today's press is truncated from an expletive-laden rant about Allardyce, saying that if he wanted more money, he'd have gone to Bolton. For me, a simple "iit's Golders Green, init?" would have sufficed.

    Will Zamora cut the mustard?

    Maybe, if we finally give him the ball how he wants it. However, his dreadful first touch, his patchy finishing and difficulty at playing with a partner worries me. We need the Zamora that turned up in the playoffs to turn up this season and he may have a chance.

    Ain't that the truth :)

    For what it's worth, I agree with the sentiment that we'll struggle the least of the promoted clubs. We were unsuited to Division One and played at 75% of our capabilities, yet got promoted. Wigan and Sunderland played at the peak of their abilities and haven't significantly improved their squads.

    Etherington has improved at West Ham. Some of the Spurs fans I used to work with said that he had ability but no final product, which I feel he has improved. So long as he doesn't hit the reset button again, as his crossing has been poor at both the start of these past two seasons, he'll be excellent.

    The forward positions don't worry me so much. Despite being played in an unsuitable role for most of last season, Harewood pulled in 17 league goals. If we can get him a partner so he can play more to his strengths, he can score the same this year and, with goals becoming a bit more scarce in the Premier League, 15 is a very good total now. My worry is goals from midfield. For the positions he gets in, Etherington doesn't score enough, likewise Reo-Coker. For me, this is obviously the reason Pardew signed Benayoun and hopes will be pinned on him to get 10 or more from midfield. That would be half of the 50 goals we really need to get to be safe. You can score less but need to be defensively tight. The only team to be relegated in the 38 game era with 50 goals or more was Middlesbrough, the year they had points deducted.

    As for Man U/West Ham - stopping them winning the title twice plus bad blood from the Ince situation, including how he did their dirty work claiming a knee injury to get a cut-price move, is why we hate them. I assume they hate us because we can be their bogey team when they need a win. I think it's also an old hoolie rivalry. We were London's top firm and Man United's firm were a bunch of bullies, it was always about numbers with them like Birmingham. Ours were genuinely hard.
     
  17. OrlandoSPUR

    OrlandoSPUR **** the Nomads

    Apr 8, 2005
    Orlando, FL
    I know exactly how they feel, there is nothing worse than a Judas. The passion still shown against Ar*sol is staggering.
     
  18. amancalledmikey

    Oct 27, 2003
    I have a bindle at this point...
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    What annoyed me most about Campbell is that he saw nothing wrong with walking out to a direct rival but gave Teddy Sheringham hell when he missed a penalty the first game back after Sheringham moved to Man Utd.
     
  19. west_ham

    west_ham Member

    Oct 3, 2004
    Peterlee, Co. Durham
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Scotland
    The only quote I remember from SAF after that game is when he said we "played like men possessed". Personally I took that as a complement, not a criticism.

    However since that day the rivalry has been reinforced a bit courtesy of a few more high tempo and often controversial matches between WHUFC and MUFC.

    There was a 2-2 draw in the league where we scored two goals in the last few minutes, the legendary 1-0 win at OT courtesy of PDC and (taxi for) Bartez and another 1-0 win at OT thanks to a Defoe header (don't see them often) under Roeder's management!!

    If beating ManU 1-0 at OT under GR doesn't encouragement for the coming season then nothing will!!
     
  20. amancalledmikey

    Oct 27, 2003
    I have a bindle at this point...
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    It only serves to remind me of the big-time charlies we had in our squad at that time, who would only raise their game for big teams.
     
  21. 15woodcroft

    15woodcroft Member

    Oct 6, 2004
    Toronto
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Looks like AP is not even close to wrapping things up... gotta' give the man credit for talking the talk...

    ...so we wait to see... :)
     
  22. Footstomper

    Footstomper New Member

    Oct 4, 2004
    Frederick MD
    Club:
    West Ham United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Harewood is going to struggle; he has the speed and the strength but not the skill. I'd love to see Bobby be a star for his own club but...it aint gonna happen.
    Fairly sanguine about the defence tho.
     

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