BBC Home

Explore the BBC

New visitors: Create your membership
Returning members: Sign in

31 comments

user rating: 4 star

Happy days, we're gunna sign some players

West Ham United
comment on the article

NO GOONERS ALLOWED

From BBC Sport

West Ham plan to buy new players this summer despite a desire to trim their squad, BBC Sport understands.

The Hammers sold Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil to Fulham on Wednesday and want to get their 41-man squad down to a more manageable 26 or 27 players.

"We effectively have four teams on the payroll - that is far too big a squad," a senior club source told BBC Sport.

"We will be signing players and have specific requirements. We don't have to sell before we buy necessarily."

West Ham have one of the biggest first-team squads in the Premier League and a wage bill approaching £50m a year.

Chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is determined to make the club "self sustaining" and has made trimming salaries a key aim for manager Alan Curbishley and chief executive Scott Duxbury this summer.


We only managed to field six or seven of our first team at any one time last season

There has also been a focus on improving training and medical facilities in an attempt to improve the club's record with injuries.

Several new appointments have been made to the medical staff and the club is in the final stages of purchasing land for a new training complex in Romford, Essex.

"We are trying to make the best of the know-how and expertise that we have at the club," the source said.

"The aim is to have first-class medical and training facilities, to rival those at the biggest European clubs.

"At best, we managed to field six or seven of our first team at any one time last season. Just imagine how well we could have done had the likes of Kieron Dyer, Craig Bellamy, Julien Faubert and Dean Ashton available all season.

"We have to try and keep these players fit. We also have a lot of good young players coming through, such as Freddie Sears and James Tomkins.

"The optimum squad size is probably about 26 or 27 players. Our squad has become so big for a couple of reasons - the relegation battle we had in 2006/7 and the spate of injuries of 2007/8."

When Gudmundsson bought the Hammers in 2006, he laid out a five-year plan that, he hoped, would ultimately culminate in qualification for the Champions League.

West Ham finished 10th last season and the target for the coming season will be to challenge for a Uefa Cup spot.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Doesn't sound like the club in crisis that the papers would have you beleive.

Like it was said in a previous article, we're in the process of balancing the books, and cutting down a huge wage bill. This wont be done at the detriment of the first team. That will be built upon.

comment on this article | alert a moderator | send to a friend

Latest 10 comments

view all 31 comments

Read members' comments or add your own
comment by VINCYHAMMERS (U10737627)

posted Jul 17, 2008

I am in total agreement with rakisrichardson. Let us look to the future.It may take a few years but I think we are definitely heading in the right direction.UP THE HAMMERS .

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by captainHammerhead (U12005314)

posted Jul 17, 2008

As much as i liked him,i think Zamora got the hump because he was one of the first to go.We all knew that players would be sold,but only the ones on the periphery of the team.I don't believe the club has any intention of selling any of our first team players,and players will be brought in only to improve the side.

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by Workhorsehammer (U12673630)

posted Jul 17, 2008

Can anyone name this 41 man squad we have? We do have a lot of fringe players but not that many unless wer'e counting the youth team as well. Captain Hammerhead wasnt Bobby Z a first team player?

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by hammers-for-life (U12056575)

posted Jul 17, 2008

i agree with rakisrichardson
i am starting to really like the new owners now
when they first got there with magnusson it was all realy good but a bit unreallistic
i think now bjorgulfor is chairman he is beng ambitious but still sensible.
i agree with u aswel about clubs like man city
and chelsea
there owners r just in it to hav some fun and spend some of there loose change.
where as i think gudmonson is in it for the long run
although it seems a slow process i think west ham r improving as a club a lot and will eventually become a top english side

UP THE HAMMERS!

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by doublejab (U11008652)

posted Jul 18, 2008

Get Curbs out

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by Hillsboro_Hammers (I will cure you ...) © (U8721907)

posted Jul 18, 2008

WUM !
doh

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by snipermr6 (U11307863)

posted Jul 19, 2008

comment by Workhorsehammer (U12673630)

Can anyone name this 41 man squad we have? We do have a lot of fringe players but not that many unless wer'e counting the youth team as well.

-----------------------------------------------
Heres the very large squad in case you forgot.
Although its not really 41.

Green
Neill
McCartney
Gabbidon
Ferdinand
Upson
Ljungberg
Parker
Ashton
Bellamy
Etherington
Cole
Noble
Mullins
Spector
Collins
Faubert
Wright
Walker
Quashie
Reid
Bowyer
Tomkins
Dyer
Boa Morte
Collison
Sears
Davenport
Eyjolfsson
Jeffery
Stech
Bajner
and if they included Zamora Paintsil Solano and Camara that makes only 36 so who were the other 5?

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by snipermr6 (U11307863)

posted Jul 19, 2008

We need to get rid of Boa Morte, Qaushie, Mullins, Cole, Bowyer Ljungberg and Neill and Walker. Bring in Valon Behrami, Eidur Gudjohnsen and a few quality players including another goalie and left back

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by tobtheironfan (U10591585)

posted Jul 21, 2008

we are not a club in crisis. we have a decent chairman who knows that we can't have instant success ao has laid out a plan for the next few years. he is definately in it for the long term and im smiling at the prospect of what we could achieve in a few seasons.

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by malcfactor (U3591274)

posted Jul 23, 2008

Nah, no crisis at Upton Park...bit of dead wood we need to get rid of, is all. Sell a dozen'n buy a couple of good'ns, I say.

add comment | complain about this comment

view all 31 comments | back to the top

Comment on this article

Sorry, you can only contribute to 606 during opening hours. These are 0900-2300 UK time, seven days a week, but may vary to accommodate sporting events and UK public holidays.

RATE THIS ARTICLE

Rate Breakdown

  • 5 85.71%
    6 votes
  • 4
    0 votes
  • 3
    0 votes
  • 2
    0 votes
  • 1 14.29%
    1 votes

average rating:
4.43 from 7 votes

Sign in if you want to vote

RELATED BBC LINKS

BBC Local
More on this team at the BBC website for London