I guess it raises the question of who is talking them up then? I think the majority of the talking up is by fans? Maybe those within the game have different views.
I don’t know how it works. I imagine, when we’re looking to loan our young players, we basically let everybody in the football league know. There must be a system in place for that (if not, there should be).
Just looking at some of the young PL academy players that are now in the England squad; Chilwell, Gomez, Mount and Tomori all had loan spells in the Championship before breaking into their respective teams. I wonder if they were offered to Champo clubs, or whether they were scouted during U23 games. Maybe a bit of both. And maybe our U23s just aren't top level. I guess they wouldn't be in our academy if they were.
I think the problem with the Championship is there's so much at stake. It's not all that different to the Premier League. We've seen players go to the Championship and get very few games. Diangana I think is a level above most. He's performed in the premier league and he went to a club with a manager he knew.
I'm personally not convinced most loan deals prove very much. A player going to a smaller club with inferior facilities and staff and a different playing style might not develop the way they would if given a chance with the first team, though that obviously requires taking risks.
IMO anything less than a new No 1, ( Not Randolph IMO, don't need another injured player ) & need someone who is equal to a fit Fab - not sure Randloph is IMO..a new RB ( Love Zab- But we all know his best days are long gone, although a true professional ) a new CM & a new Striker ...Tall order I know, but we can't rely on Fab, Fredericks & Antonio, they have all proved to be pretty injury prone ( perhaps Fredericks to a lesser extent but still needs competition there ) & have not seen enough of Ben to say he's ready to step up when fit.. Anything less than these 4 positions filled by good/better than we have players IMO we will be in a hell of a dog fight to survive relegation this season. It's a tall order to do in the January window I know, but IMO has to be done.
I disagree about Fab as I think his hip injury was his first injury in years. However I do think that when a player has any kind of non minor injury at our club then that’s virtually them having a lifetime of problems. Our medical team never seem to get it right.
So why do we rush Fab back too early? Reports have been that he was having tests before the last couple games so couldn't have been 100%. Looks like AC had a point about our medical team. :doh:
I would like a keeper with the quality to be our number one and not just a good back up. I don't think Randolph is a premier keeper. A good reserve but no more than that. We need someone to challenge Fab... easier said than done in finding one though.
If the club genuinely has no budget for this window, then we need to consider selling Issa Diop. It's as simple as that. Yes, ideally we'd build round him, but we need cash & at the moment we simply don't have it, for whatever reason.
He's not first choice currently, has been in & out the side this season, & the jury is still very much out if he turns out to be a quality CB.
We need to prioritise other squad areas right now, mainly because we are in trouble & secondly because the owners need to back their manager & allow him to build his own squad.
I would be looking at getting a minimum of £50m (Man Utd, Chelsea Spurs all rumoured to be interested) & using the interest to drive the price up.
Baracks, if we'd have snapped up Pepe Reina, all you'd hear was how he's 37 and typical West Ham.
Certainly from some quarters. But in our predicament, even before last night, I suspect the majority would have been ok with it to see us through til the end of the season.
I mean, for a start he's fit. He's also been at a top club for years so clearly still has something about him.
Comments
I don’t know how it works. I imagine, when we’re looking to loan our young players, we basically let everybody in the football league know. There must be a system in place for that (if not, there should be).
I'm personally not convinced most loan deals prove very much. A player going to a smaller club with inferior facilities and staff and a different playing style might not develop the way they would if given a chance with the first team, though that obviously requires taking risks.
Anything less than these 4 positions filled by good/better than we have players IMO we will be in a hell of a dog fight to survive relegation this season.
It's a tall order to do in the January window I know, but IMO has to be done.
Meanwhile at West Ham...
He's not first choice currently, has been in & out the side this season, & the jury is still very much out if he turns out to be a quality CB.
We need to prioritise other squad areas right now, mainly because we are in trouble & secondly because the owners need to back their manager & allow him to build his own squad.
I would be looking at getting a minimum of £50m (Man Utd, Chelsea Spurs all rumoured to be interested) & using the interest to drive the price up.
I mean, for a start he's fit. He's also been at a top club for years so clearly still has something about him.