I have mixed feelings about the transfer window.
Sullivan and Gold promised no sales, and they have been true to their word. But I think they were slightly foolish to make that promise – what if an absolutely fantastic offer had come in? I’m tired of idle promises – I just want good sensible decisions to be made.
Matthew Upson continues to be an issue. Considering our league position there is no way that he could have been sold in January, but by keeping him this season we have probably knocked £6-7m off his sale price. Factor in his wages and that has been a £10m decision. It’s easy with hindsight I know, but I think we might have been better selling him last Summer. Sullivan has now said that Upson will be sold this Summer instead, and it adds to the squad rebuilding required over the season break. It’s a dark cloud hanging over the squad, and it should have been dealt with sooner.
I don’t think we need 3 strikers to arrive, but I’m delighted with the sensible nature of 2 of them. Getting Mido in on a loan is an excellent decision – he has good experience of the league, is at a great age (26) and has something to prove. Likewise Ilan, essentially brought in on a free for 6 months, is a minor entry on the balance sheet but is another player essentially playing for his future, and the right side of 30.
I’m less happy with the more major signing of McCarthy – an expensive commitment to last over the next 3 years. We are committed to paying his wages at age 35. And my guess is that his wages are considerable – he is a veteran with a great goalscoring record after all. For him to be good value as a signing, I really feel he needs to be scoring goals for us for the duration of his contract. It’s a signing from the bad old days of Eggert Magnusson that Sullivan was criticising in the first place – let this be our last aging, declining player signed on a fat contract please.
At the same time, there’s no reason why McCarthy couldn’t go on a great run of form for West Ham. He’s here now, and he has a good reputation, and hopefully he can hit the ground running.
It seems to have been decided that other squad issues will wait. Many fans are complaining about lack of width in the side, but I don’t think that’s a major problem – it’s a style decision if anything. Others complain about the right-back slot, but I’m actually delighted that Faubert and Spector get another six months to make their case – I think both are actually good enough, but just need a bit of time and support to cement their places. We lack a senior goalkeeper in reserve, but as nobody knows what Kurusc actually offers as the reserve, it seems a bit unfair to criticise.
If anything, there are too many strikers now. But perhaps that will be no bad thing for a short time. Three of them (Franco, Mido, Ilan) are only contracted until the Summer, after all. We’ll see what Zola does with an embarrassment of riches in terms of squad options for a while.
