A WHU fan website carries a report quoting 'arry Redknapp as saying Laurent robert would have been an 'ammer if he had still been in charge at Upton Park. They say:

Former Hammers boss Harry Redknapp has claimed midfield sensation Laurent Robert would have been playing for West Ham tomorrow - and not Newcastle - had he stayed on as manager.

Redknapp, now Director of Football at first division Portsmouth revealed that Robert - who signed for Newcastle in pre-season for £9.5m - was the first name on his list of players to bring to Upton Park over the summer.

However, with Redknapp and partner Frank Lampard subsequently receiving the boot at the end of the 2000/01 season Robert was let off the hook - and signed for the Toon, for whom he has been in inspirational form.

"I had a deal agreed with Robert's Agent late last season for £6m" Redknapp, speaking to the Sun newspaper revealed. "He was always my No.1 target and we would have got him, for sure".

"My plan was to play him on the left, Trevor Sinclair on the right and watch them tear the guts out of the opposition. Robert has everything - pace, ability to both cross the ball and score goals. He can run at defenders and he excites a crowd just like David Ginola. I thought he was a real West Ham player".

Well hard bloody lines - he wors noo!

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

Answers

Why the f...k did we pay so much for him? Because our directors were claiming we were richer than the Sultan of Brunei? Then again, an agreement with an agent isn't the same as an agreement with PSG..

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

Saw a headline on Sporting Life saying Roeder is short of funds. Perhaps we could help them out by taking Carrick off their hands? ;- ))

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

Short of funds? They've sold about thirty million pounds worth of players in the past year. Oh, I forgot about the new Rio Stand at Upton Park...

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

They've spent £10m on Hutchison and Repka, two players who have been sent off in Englsih football.

Now they're skint.

I reckon he would have been disappointed at West Ham though, crowds of under 25,000 every week, cockney fans etc.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

Off point, slightly, but I gather that PSG have just drawn again. The fans are bawling, saying that talent like Anelka and Ronaldinho is worthless without the service that Robert provided.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

I bet you Didier Domi is happy as larry.

Robert on the other hand is happy as Harry would have been if he was still at West Ham.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

Perhaps we should help out PSG by taking Ronadinho off their hands? :-)

Theyn can keep Anelka.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

We can also give them Farcelino.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

Why not make PSG our feeder club?

We can give our reserves vital experience and then take their best players from them.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

There are similar comments by HR in his Racing Post column today - this may be where they took the quote from, tho there's no mention of £6m. In fact, curiously, he says he would have liked Robert but the board wouldn;t release any funds - sounds a lot less like there was any concrete deal than that website quote suggests.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

sounds like psg need good defender to stop the flow of goals. Marcelino sounds like a perfect candidate.

-- Anonymous, September 22, 2001

Erm, bollocks

At.com Lolo is quoted as saying he knows about the 'ammers because he read about them in a french TV guide, he even admits he has no idea who plays for them.

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2001

Brooking was also dropping heavy hints on R5 that Distin was also looked over by WHam. Should we be flattered?

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001