A Moment Of Clarity

[Graza]

Just seen this http://kumb.com/article.php?id=3450 article on the opinion section of the front page.

My comment was "Overall it's been a good window for West Ham (Olympic London) thus far.
However I have to take issue with "Do you think the owners used the Olympic Stadium as a selling tool to convince these players to choose West Ham?" Come on. 2 championship youngsters, one who should go straight in, one for the future. One freebie from the argentinian league, who has failed in Europe before. The other two are real money, one from the Mexican league, the other from the Belgiums top league... They are punts, punts that could be worth it, could be a waste of money.
I'm hopeful genuinely, but to say guys coming from these pony leagues have done so to play in an athletics stadium seems far fetched. Given our recent record in the market all of them could be gone or benched and replaced in 2 years.

Again, I like our business, I'm genuinely happy. This is however a bonehead article."

I stick by that. Anyone else?

[hammerdivone]

You're probably fishing, but....

The Olympic Stadium is not a the draw per se, but the future being built around our move there is. Selling the club to players on the basis of what is we are aiming to build is part and parcel of the "come and play for us" chat.

Your descriptions of the players as punts is strange. All new signings carry an element of risk, so you could say they are all risky, but why would you unless you intend to be mischievous?

[Puff Daddy]

The OS is our Unique selling point (USP) and the owners and David Gold in particular, has always said, we must have a team worthy of playing there and I don't think he had the likes of Troy Deaney in mind when he said that

[Pop Robson]

The OS isn't the draw, it's premier league football with the wages to match.

Hopefully we'll get lucky this time and they all turn out to be good.

I wonder how much say BFS has on these transfers.

[MB]

The OS isn't the draw, it's premier league football with the wages to match.

But 19 other clubs can offer that. Take off those with European football and we are competing with a dozen other teams. So why would a player pick us rather than say West Brom?

Being a London club is a factor but the OS "dream" probably plays a part.

The main benefit of the OS won't kick in until we are in it and can fill it. The extra revenue we could generate would enable us to pay more in wages which ultimately is the main draw.

[the pink palermo]

The OS isn't the draw, it's premier league football with the wages to match.

Spot on .

But 19 other clubs can offer that. Take off those with European football and we are competing with a dozen other teams. So why would a player pick us rather than say West Brom?

Your argument, taken to it's logical conclusion would suggest no player would ever want to leave West Ham because they would be giving up the opportunity to play in the OS.

Which is plainly not the case .

And another thing, we've had World Cup winners happy to play at the Boleyn .

[Adam 'The Smudge']

If the owners are selling the OS to the players, but which I'm sure their agents are, then either they aren't selling themselves very high given the calibre of player we've targeted/targeting.
Only when the business is complete can we hopefully nod our heads in agreement that it was a job well done.
Not quite yet for me.

[NorthBankAlliance]

Give me a proper football stadium with an atmosphere aka West Brom over an atheltics stadium anyday...

[cockney hammer]

Give me a proper football stadium with an atmosphere aka West Brom over an atheltics stadium anyday...

here here

[warp]

One freebie from the argentinian league, who has failed in Europe before.

[MB]

Your argument, taken to it's logical conclusion would suggest no player would ever want to leave West Ham because they would be giving up the opportunity to play in the OS.

No because I never made the argument for the OS being the major factor. You've ignored the second part of my post where I said being based in London gives us the advantage. I see the OS as the cherry not the cake, but please feel free to misquote that if it suits your agenda.

My point was that saying "premier league" and "wages" only works when other premier league clubs aren't in for the player.

[the pink palermo]

You've ignored the second part of my post where I said being based in London gives us the advantage.

No , I didn't ignore it .I read it and chose not to make any comment on it, because frankly, I agree with it .Clubs in the North East always pay over the top because players have to be persuaded to go there .

I see the OS as the cherry not the cake, but please feel free to misquote that if it suits your agenda.

No amount of digs from you or others will stop me posting my opposition to the OS .I believe it to be bad for the club and will not in itself do anything to strengthen the playing squad or even provide a better budget to the Manager .

My point was that saying "premier league" and "wages" only works when other premier league clubs aren't in for the player.

And London only works when Chelsea, Arsenal or Spurs are not in for a player .

Which was my point with regards the OS.

[il_martello_di_genovesi]

A successful spell at Birmingham, followed by a successful spell at Lazio. Zarate failed in Europe?

[Hammer83]

Exactly ^^ that is the clue the guy is clearly fishing.

[Graza]

A successful spell at Birmingham, followed by a successful spell at Lazio. Zarate failed in Europe?

4 goals in 14 games for brum. Team relegated not his fault, but less successful than CFC last season(5 from 15). Not God awful by any standard but successful? Not really.
Italy 125 games 27 goals with hauls of 2 and 3 in 2 of the 4 seasons. Again not exactly setting the world on fire.
Then back in Argentina for a much better goal return.
Can he score? Undoubtedly but has been less than successful in Europe.

You're probably fishing, but....

Your descriptions of the players as punts is strange. All new signings carry an element of risk, so you could say they are all risky, but why would you unless you intend to be mischievous?

Genuinely not fishing, 2 seasons away with football the way it is, will they be there? Will they be first team? Even the manager has only 1 year left. It seems crazy to use it as bait. Ambition perhaps but bait as such I don't see it.

The punt reference was mostly due to the step up our two big money signings need to take from their domestic leagues. Mexican league and Belgian league are not the same level. I hope they can, I want them to but it's a risk - one we have to take as we can't spend 20+M on every signing like some can.

Take it as an appeal for calm. Hope rather than expectation.

[warp]

4 goals in 14 games for brum. Team relegated not his fault, but less successful than CFC last season(5 from 15). Not God awful by any standard but successful? Not really.
Italy 125 games 27 goals with hauls of 2 and 3 in 2 of the 4 seasons. Again not exactly setting the world on fire.
Then back in Argentina for a much better goal return.
Can he score? Undoubtedly but has been less than successful in Europe.

played mostly wide in italy, that goal return ain't that bad.
didn't set the world on fire, sure, but he's done well in europe.

and just out of curiosity, have you ever seen him play, or just looked up his stats on wiki?