From football 365.com

Attention turns to the Hammers, with Fionn Kiely detailing who should be kept and ditched from a squad of failures. First out of the door should be Matty Upson and Kieron Dyer, it seems...


Robert Green
One of the few in the squad who can look back on the season with a bit of pride having rebounded well from his summer debacle to put in a decent shift behind a terrible defence. In an ideal world there would be no need to replace him but he's one of our more saleable assets and I fully expect him to leave.
Verdict: Ditch

Marek Stech
Young keeper with questionable ability. Might be good enough to make the step up but is worth keeping around the squad regardless.
Verdict: Keep

Ruud Boffin
Hasn't really done anything to warrant either option really. A bit of a non-event.
Verdict: Ditch/Keep

Wayne Bridge
Heading back to Man City after an alright loan spell. Wages of 90k might slightly rule out an extension in the Championship...
Verdict: Ditch

Danny Gabbidon
Past it at this stage to be honest. Simply hasn't been good enough for quite some time and is one of the reasons we've been so poor defensively. Not the main reason mind, just one of many. Wouldn't be the worst to keep on if he took a pay cut however.
Verdict: Ditch

James Tomkins
Probably the defender at the club who showed the most resemblance to an actual defender this season. Has bags of potential and needs an experienced head beside him to learn from and follow. Definitely keep if possible.
Verdict: Keep

Matthew Upson
Our so-called 'captain'. Shown up this season as anything but. Goes missing when the going gets tough and is no more a captain of a Premier League side than you or I. Typifies why the club are where they're at currently.
Verdict: Ditch

Winston Reid
Could be useful to have as back up in the physical Championship. Showed glimmers of potential but has a lot more to prove. Worth another season.
Verdict: Keep

Julien Faubert
Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Verdict: Ditch

Manuel da Costa
Will be very useful to have next season. Strong as you like and reasonably accomplished to boot. If he stays out of prison he'll be very handy to have next season.
Verdict: Keep

Lars Jacobsen
Worth extending his contract for another year at least. Very solid if unspectacular. Could certainly do a job in the Championship.
Verdict: Keep

Herita Illunga
Serious issues here from a player who performed so well when on loan but has disappeared once given a permanent contract. Perfect time to try and shift the deadwood in the squad and Illunga is certainly one them.
Verdict: Ditch

Kieron Dyer
Absolute drain on the club and thankfully we'll see the last of him this summer. Contributed the square root of nothing during his tenure and West Ham Football Club certainly won't be sorry to see the back of him.
Verdict: Ditch

Scott Parker
Deserves so much more than we can offer the lad. We've absolutely no chance of holding onto him but he can leave with his head held high. Some club will be getting the consummate professional and an excellent player to boot.
Verdict: Reluctantly sell

Jack Collison
Sorely missed over the last 15 months and will hopefully form the nucleus in midfield along with Mark Noble next season. Would be a big coup if we can hold onto both of them as they'd easily be among the best in the league.
Verdict: Keep

Thomas Hitzlsperger
In an ideal world we'd keep the Hitz but unfortunately relegation has probably put paid to that. He did a decent job since Christmas and would be a fantastic asset if we could hold onto him. Highly unlikely though.
Verdict: Reluctantly sell

Pablo Barrera
The fleeting appearances have done little to dispel the notion that Barrera isn't cut out for England.
Verdict: Ditch

Luis Boa Morte
Many may disagree here but I'd keep Boa Morte for the forthcoming season. His footballing ability may have drastically declined over the last couple of years but it's his determination and drive that would be invaluable in the Championship. A much-needed battler in what is a very tough league.
Verdict: Keep

Radoslav Kovac
Will be off no doubt and apart from the women at the club, not many will be pining for him. Average and limited player - exactly the type we should be aiming to get rid of.
Verdict: Ditch

Mark Noble
If we can hold onto Noble, and it's a big if, he'd be one of most vital players next season. A West Ham boy through and through, if he remains at the club there is no better candidate for captain. Also see above with Jack Collison.
Verdict: Keep

Jonathon Spector
A major bright spark to a dismal season has been the re-emergence of Spector. An often-derided individual among the fans, he's proved to everyone that he deserves his spot in the side and definitely a player we could do with having next season.
Verdict: Keep

Junior Stanislas
Would be a useful player to have but not overly impressed by his progress. Neither here nor there to be honest.
Verdict: Ditch

Gary O'Neil
If, and it's a big if, he can recover from his horrific injury, then we should keep the lad without a shadow. However, due to that horrific injury he recently received, we don't have much of a choice in the matter.
Verdict: Keep-ish

Carlton Cole
Had plenty of chances at the club but never really proved himself to be the player many believe he can be. Very touch and go about whether we should cash in while we have the chance or try another season. If we can get a reasonable offer I see no real reason to reject.
Verdict: Ditch

Freddie Sears
Done enough to warrant another season to continue his improvement.
Verdict: Keep

Demba Ba
Sadly after searching for so long for a 15-goal-a-season striker, we get relegated just as we unearth one. Excellent since his arrival and will have plenty of suitors in the Premier League. Would be shocked if we could hold onto him but if we did...
Verdict: Love to keep but...

Zavon Hines
When not injured, Hines has shown the extent of his ability and his pace would be crucial in a league where pace is so vital. Could be a very important player next season.
Verdict: Keep

Frederic Piquionne
Decent shift this season but getting on a bit and not one we should be retaining if we're looking to rebuild the squad.
Verdict: Ditch

Victor Obinna
Doesn't want to be here next season and whilst he can be good on his day, it's no great loss. Back to Inter Milan.
Verdict: Ditch

Robbie Keane
Agent Keane can return to his master safe in the knowledge that he completed his task with aplomb. Not the most popular of individuals around the Boleyn.
Verdict: Ditch
Fionn Kiely

Must say I agree plus we have some good youngsters to blood and get in a couple more fighters with experience in the npower , sorted

Agree with all, apart from:

"Manuel da Costa
Will be very useful to have next season. Strong as you like and reasonably accomplished to boot. If he stays out of prison he'll be very handy to have next season.
Verdict: Keep"
- I have not been a fan of his, far too often he has looked for belly button fluff rather than the man he is supposed to mark, if we can find a replacement I say Ditch him.

"Demba Ba
Sadly after searching for so long for a 15-goal-a-season striker, we get relegated just as we unearth one. Excellent since his arrival and will have plenty of suitors in the Premier League. Would be shocked if we could hold onto him but if we did...
Verdict: Love to keep but..."
- He will have to stay until Jan 12 at the very least as he has alreay played for 2 clubs this season. He was rejected by 3 premiership clubs on fitness grounds. I think we will hold on to him for all of next season.

Agree with all except Stanislas. Him I would like to keep aswell..

I think in regards to DaCosta, when he has played poorly it has been due to his injury. I want to keep him. We need more big lads. preferably also get Samba or someone similar!

Samba is too good to drop a division, perversely he is just was the Gooners need, but that French muppet will never go for a player like Samba despite the fact that had he been in their defence this season they may well have piped ManPoo to the title (well at least given them a better fight).

Agree with all of that, and would love to have a player like Samba alongside Tomkins to give him the support he has missed this season from our errr captain? But also agree with suzanne that he is to good to drop down with us.

Will be a major coup to keep Ba and he could be the catylist to provoke Sears into scoring a few more. We also have Nouble who is not on the list, Spence, Brown and a few of the other younger lads who will not need to go on loan to championship clubs as they can now learn their trade at UP!

Major thing is to get the right man in at the top, then we may just hang on to the likes of Noble, Hitzlesberger and co. Unfortunately parker and Green the only real bright sparks this season will be off, just hope GaS have the balls to get the right moeny for them.

I was impressed with Nouble Motty and did not understand why he was loaned out. I'm sure he will do well for us in the coco-pops.

Dyer will go, but not so sure about Upson.....He'll probably even take a wage cut when he finds that no-one else is interested in him, and we'll re-sign him last knockings...

Same goes for Cole, I just hope and pray though, that there is some club out there, idiotic enough to think they have what it takes to make the useless twat score on a regular basis..

Not sure about LBM, although he might be a case of needs must

I think we should try to sign the scout who spots players like Samba. Whenever we sign one of these unknown players from overseas he is always a one season wonder or a real waster who is in London for a season of gadding about & being the big fish of whatever community he comes from.

How is it clubs like bolton & blackburn are able to spot players that seem to have more to offer than us? They can't be offering that much more money & let's face it they are not signing for the nightlife or scenery. We should be upping our game in that area as it is a realistic marketplace for clubs like us & we should be picking up players like Samba, or the other African guys at Rovers (Nzonzi & Mame Diouf?) who also looks the part, rather than the mercenaries we end up with.

Suzanne Claret wrote:Agree with all, apart from:

"Manuel da Costa
Will be very useful to have next season. Strong as you like and reasonably accomplished to boot. If he stays out of prison he'll be very handy to have next season.
Verdict: Keep"
- I have not been a fan of his, far too often he has looked for belly button fluff rather than the man he is supposed to mark, if we can find a replacement I say Ditch him.

"Demba Ba
Sadly after searching for so long for a 15-goal-a-season striker, we get relegated just as we unearth one. Excellent since his arrival and will have plenty of suitors in the Premier League. Would be shocked if we could hold onto him but if we did...
Verdict: Love to keep but..."
- He will have to stay until Jan 12 at the very least as he has alreay played for 2 clubs this season. He was rejected by 3 premiership clubs on fitness grounds. I think we will hold on to him for all of next season.

Su, does that rule apply to regular transfers? I thought it was only loan deals?

I dont know JK, it was information my newphew said he found out and he's usualy right about this kind of thing. :?:

I thought it was no more than two clubs in a season, not a calendar year.

Good news if it is. we get to keep him until january & hopefully we will be on the up & he'll want to stay & see it through. A very good striker if played in the right position. Has a good nose for goal & seems to attract the ball when he is around the box. Excellent movement in the box for the goal that Tomkins headed back on sunday. I like his attitude too. We could use that enthusiasm around the young players.

Johnny K wrote:Good news if it is. we get to keep him until january & hopefully we will be on the up & he'll want to stay & see it through. A very good striker if played in the right position. Has a good nose for goal & seems to attract the ball when he is around the box. Excellent movement in the box for the goal that Tomkins headed back on sunday. I like his attitude too. We could use that enthusiasm around the young players.

I agree JK.

What do people think about Noble? I would love to keep him as he is West Ham thru and thru but think he may get his head turned by other offers. Do you think he will stay?

Yes I think he will though not necessarily because he is West Ham through and through but because he will see this as a good chance to become captain and really establish himself back in the first team. He had agood season but the previous one to two was not his best.

The only way he or the club would go is if somebody big come in and I do not think they would and certainly not for £7million plus that would, surely, persuade the owners.

I don't think that he is finished with West Ham yet......or I sincerely hope not

Who ?

Mark Noble of course

I think Noble’s progress as a footballer has suffered because he has spent his entire career at West Ham. He has either been in a fight for promotion or against relegation usually in a shit midfield.

I hope he stays and given the choice I think he will, especially if the new manager does this right thing and makes him captain.