David Gold has gone on record saying that if West Ham does go down – as looks likely – that he will allow their England internationals to leave. Regrettable, but not that he will have much choice.
Scott Parker is the only current star who does looks destined to draw a big money bid this summer, whilst England outcasts Robert Green, Matthew Upson and Carlton Cole could attract nominal fees to help the Hammers bankroll their way back into the big time if they fail to turn over their current three point deficient.
Parker, the Writer’s Player of the Year, has been in outstanding form and has induced the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham, who had a bid for him turned down previously, to fully consider a potential bid to boost their own midfields that have been lacking a little zest.
It’s plain to see his heroics have been put to good use. Parker’s fully competent of fulfilling his unrewarding hard work at a bigger top half club to reassure his England midfield berth after a fantastic performance against Wales earlier this year.
Parker’s determination has made him a favourite at Upton Park and Gold’s reassuring words are unlikely go down well with the West Ham faithful. It appears he is looking to next season already and could have plans installed to rid the club of their bigger earners, even if they stay up. Ex-England international Kieron Dyer is one already on the way out.
Parker deserves every right to have another crack in the higher echelons of the division. His Chelsea days were squandered with too many big-earners ahead of him and his time at Newcastle was damaged by an inability to settle. Yet the time feels right for him to have another crack – even at the wrong side of 30, Parker could yet become the important box-to-box midfielder we saw play so magnificently at Charlton.
Green and Upson look set to leave as well, having been made scapegoats for England’s world cup failure, Green’s costly mistake against USA and Upson being torn apart by German youngsters, but they still remain pivotal to West Ham’s survival bid.
However, if the worst is to happen, both will be looking for an immediate return to the Premier League and there will be plenty of suitors who would be willing to take on their all too-important Premier League experience.
Cole’s another who will attract interest and it now seems foolish that the Hammers did not to accept Liverpool’s £10 million bid, only a year ago, as the tall striker barely makes the first team and hasn’t been prolific by any means.
If they were all to go West Ham would lose their spine and the rest of the squad are not good enough to compete thoroughly in the Championship, let alone the Premier League. For Fabio Capello, Gold’s words are generous but the future of West Ham look rather bleak for the considerable short-term if they do go down.
Board owners often leave it to players to say they want to play in the Premier League, but it appears Gold is welcoming bids for his star assets already. Seems like defeatist talk.
Steven Woodgate writes regularly for This is Futbol.com
