I see we are being linked once again with Chinese right back Sun Jihai, once of Palace. Price around £2M apparently. This plus a loan move for that Dutch/Moroccan player.

No offence to any of those players but FFS - if we want to consolidate within the top 6 for this season, what's the point of getting £2M players? Yes I know it worked out OK with O Brien but Wayne Quinn is an example of what you get if you don't spend decent money.

I'd rather the board didn't bother than go for this type of player. The squad is full of them. I doubt neither Jihai or the Dutch winger will bring anything extra to the squad.

We need about £6M to spend on one player at the least I think. Doesn't look like it's going to happen. Whatever happened to BR's Mr Quicksilver then?

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2002

Answers

I think that if we bought this Chinese lad it would be to increase our merchandise potential in the Far East - no other reason. It may actually be a rumour that the club is happy to see circulating - last year, Harry Redknapp claimed that West Ham sold 10,000 shirts in Japan when they were merely linked with a Japanese player.

I agree that it's disturbing to be associated Netto rather than Waitrose and having these lads on trial sounds very Mick Wadsworth.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2002

.....or perhaps it wasn't Wadsworth after all!

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2002

Well, Clarky, as we've said on here before, we have a head scout and he ain't called "Wadsworth".

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2002

I don't think we should be too concerned with the real bargain basement type signings - ie loans and less than say £2M. As long as they aren't being bought to fill specific places in the first team. As Dougal mentions, the Chinese lad will probably pay for himself via merchandising, and the Moroccan loan deal seems reasonable to be able to take a look at a once talented player. I would be more concerned if we splashed out £4M say on a very average defensive midfielder - an area we al agree needs strengthening.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2002

in their review of footballing finances the Deloitte reprot suggetsed that transfer fees and pay for middle ranking players/journeyman would change dramatically. Superstars woudl always demand huge fees and wages but lesser player would start to become commodities that were just passed around clubs with little job security, and these players woould start to go for lesser wages in return for longer contracts.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2002

These moves are simply an illustration of reality - the Club has no money. If it had we'd be after top quality.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2002