Daily WHUFC News - 11th June 2012

Championship? No thanks!
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 10th June 2012
By: Matthew Kemp

Following promotion to the Premier League, I thought it would be interesting
to see what happened to the players that left following our relegation to
the Championship the previous season.

One of the most high profile players to leave was Thomas Hitzlsperger who
had originally signed a lucrative three year contract with the Hammers, yet
only played half a season due to injury. It was suggested that he wanted to
repay the club's loyalty by staying, yet within weeks of Sam Allardyce being
appointed as club manager, he left, releasing a relegation clause in his
contract.

Such was his urgency to find another club, he was caught speeding, yet was
spared a driving ban as he was at the time unemployed, and claimed he needed
the car to drive around the country to look for another club.

Wolves were earmarked as a possible destination, yet the player instead
opted to return to his homeland, signing a three year deal with Wolfsburg.
Bizarrely, after the 2011-2012 season his contract was terminated. Thomas
had played a total of six games, five less than an injury plagued season
with West Ham!

At the age of 30, the player is now looking for a new club once again.

Danny Gabbidon repaid the loyalty of the club that supported him through
injury plagued seasons, by leaving for QPR on a one-year contract. He
suggested that the club had not offered him a new contract, and subsequently
made 17 appearances for the Hoops, scoring an own goal on his debut.
Following the end of the season, QPR have released the former Welsh
international.

Kieron Dyer played a total seven minutes for QPR following his release from
West Ham, and has been offered a new one year contract by the Rs. Matthew
Upson left West Ham in May 2011 after his contract expired. He was linked to
a number of clubs, yet signed for Stoke City on a two year contract. He made
14 league appearances for the club in 2011-2012 season.

Demba Ba triggered a relegation clause in his contract, turning down a
suggested contract of £50k a week. He joined Newcastle United, although he
did also have talks with Everton. He was booed by the Toon army faithful
following some uninspired performances during the early season, yet scored a
hat-trick against Blackburn Rovers on 24th September 2011 and by January was
the second top scorer in the league behind Robin Van Persie with 15 goals.

He was voted as the best signing for 2011-2012 by Premier League managers in
March 2012. In May 2012, the tabloids have suggested that he has a £7m
release clause in his contract, with Tottenham being linked to the Senegal
international.

Radoslav Kovac, with twelve months left on his contract joined Swiss Super
League Club, F.C. Basel for an undisclosed fee on a two year contract. At
the end of the 2011-2012 season he had won the League Championship and Swiss
Cup.

Lars Jacobsen was released by West Ham following his one year contract
expiring. He was linked to a number of clubs including AS Saint Etienne but
opted for his former club FC Copenhagen - and featured for Demnark in their
surprise 1-0 win over the Netherlands in Euro 2012 last night.

Jonathan Spector was released by West Ham and joined Birmingham City on a
two year contract, playing 30 games in the 2011-2012 season. Pablo Barrera
was loaned out to Real Zargoza following a season where he made six Premier
League appearances (making no assists). He made 20 appearances for the
Spanish club, scoring once. He has since returned to West Ham with two years
left on his contract.

Luis Boa Morte's contract was cancelled by mutual consent and he teamed up
with one of his ex managers, Chris Coleman at Greek outfit, Larissa in
August 2011. Although he signed a two-year contract, he left by January 2012
due to financial problems at the club. He joined Orlando Pirates on a
18-month deal, yet after only two starts departed on 14th May 2012.

Benni McCarthy agreed to terminate his contract after West Ham gave the
player an alleged £1.5m pay off. He made only two Premier League starts and
14 appearances in all competitions scoring no goals. On 2nd August he joined
Orlando Pirates on a two-year contract and scored on his debut.

Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson, who never made a first team appearance for West Ham
joined German side VfL Bochum. Jermain Defoe's cousin, Anthony Edgar - who
made his first team appearance versus Arsenal in the FA Cup, 3rd January
2010 - was released and joined Yeovil Town on a two-year contract. He made
ten appearance in 2011-2012, scoring one goal.

Loan players Wayne Bridge made eighteen appearances for West Ham, and
returned to Manchester City before joining Sunderland on loan in January
2012.

Robbie Keane made his debut for West Ham scoring against Blackpool in a 3-1
win. The club had an option to extend the deal by two years, if they avoided
relegation from the Premier League. The player returned to Tottenham
following West Ham's relegation. He joined LA Galaxy and had a brief loan
spell at Aston Villa in January 2012, making seven appearances, scoring
three times.

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Setting Our Sights High
By Iain Dale
West ham Till I Die

KUMB have a fascinating analysis of the players who left the club when we
were relegated. With one or two notable exceptions they don't seem to have
done very well. And if you look down the list, is there a single one, apart
from Demba Ba, who you'd want back? Do read the full article HERE, but
here's the list of players...

Thomas Hitzlsperger
Danny Gabbidon
Demba Ba
Jonathan Spector
Wayne Bridge
Matthew Upson
Kieron Dyer
Radoslav Kovac
Lars Jacobsen
Luis Boa Morte
Benni McCarthy
Robbie Keane

I think we need to be setting our sights higher than these sort of players
now. Thats why when I see rumours of the likes of Kenwyne Jones, I shake my
head with a sense of disbelief. Grant Holt? Yes, he got 15 goals last season
but he's 31, with maybe two decent seasons ahead of him. I think not. We
need to be looking at young players with proven track records or loads of
potential. Step forward Jordan Rhodes. Six million for him of £4.5 million
for Grant Holt? I know what I'd do.

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West Ham to step up Holt bid with improved £4.2m offer for wantaway Norwich
striker
The 31-year-old has handed in a transfer request and remains determined to
leave Carrow Road, despite the Canaries' reluctance to sell
10 Jun 2012 09:45:00
Goal.com
EXCLUSIVE
By Greg Stobart

West Ham will step up their pursuit of Norwich City striker Grant Holt with
an improved bid of £4.2 million on Monday, Goal.com can reveal. The Hammers
have already had a £3m offer for Holt rejected as they look to bolster their
strikeforce after securing promotion to the Premier League. Norwich are
believed to have set their asking price for Holt at £6m and remain deeply
reluctant to sell the 31-year-old, who scored 15 Premier League goals last
season. The Canaries rejected a transfer request from Holt last month but
the player remains desperate to leave the club after falling out with chief
executive David McNally. Holt, who is also attracting interest from Paul
Lambert at Aston Villa, claims he was told by McNally that he did not
deserve a new contract because he was too old. West Ham are ready to double
Holt's current salary to £30,000-a-week and have been trying to open
dialogue with Norwich over a move for the targetman. Holt's resolve to leave
Carrow Road has strengthened following the appointment of Colin Calderwood
as assistant to new manager Chris Hughton. While Hughton has made it his
priority to convince Holt to stay at the club, the striker has a poor
relationship with Calderwood, who he worked under when the Scot was manager
of Nottingham Forest. "Holt will never kick a ball for Norwich again," a
source told Goal.com. West Ham remains the most likely destination for Holt,
despite Lambert's appointment as Villa manager earlier this month after he
quit Norwich. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is eager to strengthen his
attacking options and has made Holt his top target, with former Chelsea
striker Nicolas Anelka also on the Londoners' radar. Holt joined Norwich
from Shrewsbury for £400,000 in July 2009 as has been voted as the club's
player of the year in all of his three seasons at Carrow Road. He played a
key role in the Canaries achieving back-to-back promotions before finishing
in mid-table in the Premier League last season.

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