One of the biggest stories in football this week is the way PSG are going to start culling the squad. The Qatari Royals who own the club have been trying to win the Champions League and have assembled a Harlem Globetrotters type squad, but failed yet again. Tuchel was sacked the season before last for failing and Pochetino was drafted in for the last half of the season and he managed to win the French Cup but only managed to come second in the league and the CL was blown by Tuchel and why he got sacked. This season Pochetino won the league, won the cup and got PSG into the Champions League semi final against Real Madrid. Pochetino was there, he had a 3 goal cushion over Madrid with 10 minutes left, but Benzima and Vinicius Jr scored the goals and then scored more to win the match and killed Pochetino’s PSG career too. Madrid obviously went on to win the Champions League against Pep. Poch never had much of a chance though simply because he was never consulted on players, he was just presented with the likes of Messi (who was garbage) hence the new broom. Pochetino goes today and Galtier announced on Monday next week. Where next for Poch? So QSI have started the cull and some serious words from them about no more free rides, players are going to have to leave if we deem they are no longer part of the project. Messi and Naymar could well be binned irrespective of the cost. This is an owner who has lost patience and to that end Louis Campos has been brought in as Director of Football, replacing the legendary Brazilian Leonardo. When you look at the PSG squad just in attack its a who's who of worldy forwards and in the middle of the park too. Midfielders Herrera, Chabral, Dina-Ebmambe, Gharbi, Guye, Michut, Parredes, Perierra, Rafina, Verrati, Weidman and Wijneldum. Forwards (Di Maria already gone) Draxler, Gassamba, Icardi, Kalimuendo, Mbappe, Messi, Nagera, Neymar, Sarabia and Yansane. The above just from forwards and midfield is larger than the Leeds squad without adding in the defenders and the keepers like Donnarumer and Navas The new broom started Tuesday when Xavi Simons thought he had a verbal agreement to sign a lucrative new contract had the deal pulled. Xavi signed for PSV on a free as PSG new management didn't want him. Closer to home its going to be strange facing Man City and Chelsea (if it is them) if indeed our players turn out for them. What sort of reception awaits them at ER. I for one am glad the deals were done early allowing us time to replace them. I also give thanks to them both for their efforts and I understand why they wanted to leave. However I wish they had gone to PSG and Barcelona. Yes they get to have a huge pay rise and play Champions League, but its all a bit seedy really. And the way Deco and Rapha are behaving sums up greedy football stereotypes. Bet Rapha wishes we got relegated now as he would be at Barcelona for £25m already. So why are we being linked to only 3 DMs because to be frank this is the lynchpin position for the whole team and the way we want to play. Lazy journo’s yes talking about Tyler Adams and Mo Camara and even Sander Berge, but come on there are plenty of DMs out there do we really need to shop at Red Bull? Talk of an experienced keeper and Ben Foster mentioned a lot. For me I think we need one, but do we also need someone with top experience as part of the coaching team? Duel role maybe. Looking at the squad so far without including you know who, its not a bad line up of internationals and if you are felt to be good enough at that level then you cant be crap, maybe crap coaching is to blame for some performances, or players out of their preferred positions? Lets also be honest and say this squad of players is a country mile better than the players we have had in the last ten years and indeed cost a lot more. Not long ago we were spending less than a million, then we moved to £1.5m then up to £3m and now nearing £30m which should be beaten in the next few days maybe nearing £40m……not included Cresswell as he is going out on loan. Meslier France U21 Klaesson Norway U21 Kristonsen Denmark Koch Germany Cooper Scotland Dallas Northern Ireland Llorente Spain Firpo Spain U21 Roca Spain U21 Arronson USA Rodrigo Spain James Wales Roberts Wales Gelhardt England U21 Summerville Holland U21 Drameh England U21 Greenwood England U21 Bamford England Klich Poland Still waiting to see who leaves because there are players that stand no chance of playing this season, unless we get massive injuries again. Shackelton going out on loan seems wrong to me, get him sold. Tyler Roberts?
Question Doc. With the abundance of players on the move who or why would anyone pay anything for either Shackleton or Roberts. They’ve achieved nothing much and they never will at top level football
Thats a great question mate, yet we see useless players moving around all the time. Next big question is what we do with Raphinha because it sounds like he is refusing to go to Chelsea and only wants Barcelona. We should now start hardball as hes due back at Leeds on Monday, put him with the kids
I said that elsewhere bout Rapha. Give him a ultimatum if a week to get his act together or else he’s staying for full season. We may lose money on his value but that could be compensated by having a gig World Cup.
Shack has a good engine, plays multiple positions, is young so has a resale value, has PL experience and proved to be of decent Championship level. Roberts has played over 100 games for us, regular for Wales, is still young, resale value if they improve him and has played at PL level.
Going to be trouble here, but dont believe we tapped him up. I heard his agent was approaching clubs about a transfer and at the same time demanding first team wages to sign a new contract. If he comes to us we get him for peanuts as it will be a compensation payment only “West Ham United invests millions of pounds annually into its world-renowned Academy of Football – and naturally the Club is extremely disappointed that Sonny has chosen not to continue his development with the Hammers. “The Club is disappointed with Perkins’ representatives and strongly believe he was approached to sign for another club which led to him asking to be released from his scholarship at West Ham United. “West Ham United take this matter very seriously – we believe the rules and structures in place at the Football Association and Premier League should be upheld at all times.”
rumour mill is saying the camara deal is on unlike others i quite like the rumours of adams on loan to buy. Might be one or the other but i got sick of having no midfielders so having 3 central midfielders to mix and match/cover would be quite nice
Yeah how can you play for one team whilst agreeing a personal contract with another team months before the season ends, never mind still having 2 years left on a contract…
Of all the games they’ve both played for us how many times did either score more than five out of ten
Shackleton played very well toward the end of the Championship winning season. Grabbed himself a couple of goals.
Same height as Messi you daft ****! Height isn't the issue. Now if you had just said he isn't good enough for PL level then fair enough. He has shown in the past that he is capable at Championship level. That carries a certain value.