West Ham, The Team We Could Be.

In this blog I will be taking a look at players we have recently sold, or lost for stupid reason. I will start with the LB and move around the pitch until I reach the 2 upfront players. Well, there’s no time like the present. Let’s get started!

Paul Konchesky is a life long West Ham United fan and a former season ticket holder for the bobby Moore stand. Paul Konchesky has said publicly that Julian Dicks.

Konchesky joined West Ham from Charlton in July 2005 for a fee of £1.5m after playing a total of 169 appearances for Charlton, scoring 6 goals Konchesky made 45 league and cup appearances for West Ham during the 2005-06 season. He was part of the squad that reached that legendary FA Cup final against Liverpool on the 13^th of May 2006. This was the last FA Cup final to be played at the Millennium Stadium as the New Wembley was completed shortly after this. Paul Konchesky contributed to the game with a “cross goal” that was clearly an accident. But no one was going to complain about it! The game was drawn 3-3 and went through to penalties; unfortunately Konchesky missed his spot kick. Liverpool went on to win the penalty shootout 3-1. Konchesky was dropped to the bench in the 2006-2007 season, only making 25 appearances as the Hammers slipped into the relegation zone. Konchesky made a total of 70 appearances for West Ham, scoring 2 goals before leaving the club in July 2007. After moving to Fulham for a fee of £3.25 Konchesky criticised then manager Alan Curbishley, saying he made the players unhappy at the club.

Ferdinand joined West Ham as a trainee in December 2002 and was handed his first team debut in August 2003. He was a part of the starting line up for the 2-1 victory over Preston North End on the opening day of the season, during the 2003-04 campaign Ferdinand went on to make 26 appearances.

 2004-05 was a fantastic season for Anton as he cemented his place in the first team at Upton Park and also managed to help his team gain promotion to the premier league via the play offs. Ferdinand scored the opening goal in the last game of the season against Watford; West Ham won the game 2-1, securing them a spot in the Play Offs. West Ham beat Preston North End in the finals sending them back into the Premiership after a 2 year absence. Ferdinand was offered a 3 year extension on his deal at Upton Park which he promptly signed.

Ferdinand made 33 appearances for West Ham in the 2005-06 campaign, putting in some impressive performances allowing him to win the Premier League Player of the Month award in January 2006. The FA Cup final was the game in which Ferdinand showed some pure emotion. Anton was the player to miss the decisive penalty, giving Liverpool the win. As soon as he missed he dropped to his knees in tears and was comforted by the other players. He gained a lot of respect from the Hammers Faithful for this.

However, Ferdinand lost his new found respect in March 2007, when he lied to the club and told them he had to go to see his Grandmother in the Isle of Wight so needed two weeks off, when he actually went to South Carolina to celebrate his 22^nd birthday. Ferdinand was fined an estimated £45,000 (Two weeks wages) when the club found out about this lie.

Anton Ferdinand scored his 4^th goal for the Hammers against Manchester United in a 2-1 victory. His last goal for West Ham came against Fulham, he scored in the 69^th minute to put West Ham 2-1 ahead, West Ham wont he game by the same score line.

West Ham sold Anton on the 27^th of August 2008 for a reported £6m.

Collins joined the Hammers in July 2005 for a reported £2.5m. Due to injury and fitness problems Collins was unable to make his debut until September 2005 in a Carling Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday; West Ham won the game 4-2. He went on to make his Premier Division debut in October 2005 against Bolton Wanderers and scored his first goal on Boxing Day 2005 in a 1-1 draw against Portsmouth.

Matthew Upson and Daniel Gabbidon sustained injuries during the 2006-07 season which allowed Collins to form a partnership with Anton Ferdinand, with the guidance of Lucas Neill and Robert Green in goal James Collins became a favourite with the Hammers Faithful and was known as a major factor in the improvement of the defensive situation at the club.

Injury rocked Collins on the 28^th of January 2008, suffering severe ligament damage in a reserve game with Portsmouth and was told me would not be able to play for a further year, the injury only kept Collins out for 9 months, he made his return against Arsenal on the 26^th October 2008.

Collins signed for Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee on the 1^st of September 2009, much to the disappointment of the West Ham fans.

January 2007 was the time in which Neill signed for West Ham, opting to sign for the Hammers over Liverpool. The media accused Neill of only moving to West Ham as they offered more money, Neill quashed these reports and claims he made the move purely for the football and that Liverpool never made him feel wanted and did not even grant him the satisfaction of a meeting with then manager Rafael Benitez. Neill made his debut in February 2007 and picked up an injury. Neill’s first game as a captain was a month later in a 4-3 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur; Neill went on to play every game the rest of that season. Following Reo-Cokers departure on the 5^th of July 2007 Neill was made permanent captain. Lucas Neill scored his only goal for West Ham when they played West Bromich Albion in 2008; it was the end of this season that Neill rejected a one year contract extension and soon after became a free agent. Neill went on to sign for Everton and play alongside his close friend Tim Cahill.

Matthew Etherington joined West Ham in the first season of the two they spend in the Championship. Etherington was a massive hit at Upton Park and the fans grew to love him as he played a very attacking style of football and seemed to dribble the ball down the wing better than anyone had seen at West Ham for a long time. Etherington got his first hat-trick for West Ham in a 5-0 win over Wimbledon. He also won “Hammer of the year” in his first season at the club. Etherington scored in the 2-0 win over Ipswich in the play off semi final second leg. West Ham went on to the final against Crystal Palace and lost the game 1-0, Etherington was seen in tears after the game showing he had passion for the club.  West Ham went on to reach the Play Off Final the year after as well, this time they were lining up against Preston North End, Matthew Etherington floated over a perfectly timed cross for Bobby Zamora to slot home for the only goal in the game to send West Ham back into the Premiership. Etherington went on to make 78 appearances over the next three years in the Premiership and was a hot favourite for the Hammers fans the whole time. It was only the appointment of Gianfranco Zola that made Etherington lost his place in the starting eleven as Zola preferred to play younger players.

In total, Etherington played 195 games for West Ham, scoring 18 goals. He was then sold to Stoke on the 8^th January 2009 for a reported £2m.

West Ham signed Diamanti in the summer transfer window of 2009 for a reported £6m and made his debut against Wigan Athletic, a game which West Ham lost 1-0. Diamanti became the 800^th player in West Hams history. Diamanti scored his first goal from the penalty spot against Liverpool, he actually slipped just before kicking the ball but the ball still sailed into the net. Diamanti was fast becoming a fans favourite at West Ham as the fans were finally seeing the kind of passion and determination they hadn’t seen since Paolo Di Canio. Diamanti was sold on 24^th August 2010 to Serie A club Brescia for a reported €2.2m.

Reo-Coker signed for the hammers in January 2004. He was quoted as saying “It is a big club and there is the opportunity to do well and get back in the Premiership. I am delighted to have signed and really looking forward to the chance of playing. There is a lot of potential at West Ham with the players and the manager we have here” Reo-Coker automatically became a favourite of manager Alan Pardew and was made the clubs captain. He scored three times in the 2004-05 Championship campaign and captained them to both, the play off final which won them promotion back to the top flight and to the FA Cup final against Liverpool in 2006.

The 2006-07 season was a completely different story for West Ham as many of their top players were not performing as well as they had been in recent years. Nigel Reo-Coker was a main target for media and fans as they were looking for someone to blame for the slump, Alan Pardew was sacked by the West Ham board due to the slump in West Hams form. Reo-Coker recovered his form just in time for the Hammers as they went on to win seven of their last 9 times in the league to sustain their Premier League status, which was confirmed on the last day of the season. Reo-Coker was quoted in May 2007 as saying “I do not know what my future is and need to sit down and talk with the manager and the chairman this week. I have been through the mill this season, but it has made me a stronger person and I would not have changed anything. I am a very loyal person but to play at my best I need to be happy. I made a promise to West Ham fans that I would help keep this club in the Premier League and I have done that.” After his crunch talks with the board he was still unsatisfied and requested a transfer out of West Ham. Aston Villa were said to have made an offer of £7m in June which was being negotiated with the two clubs boards and an agreement of £8.5m was finally agreed. Reo-Coker joined Aston Villa on the 5^th of July 2007.

West Ham signed Benayoun just before their first season back in the Premiership for a reported £2.5m, signing a reported four year contract. Then manager Alan Pardew said how he couldn’t be happier with signing Benayoun as he is the kind of player that would make teams pay if they were going to slip up.

In Benayoun’s first season in the premiership he showed the deck he was holding, scoring five Premier league goals with eight Premier league assists. The 13^th of August 2005 was Benayoun’s Premier league debut, a game which the Hammers won 3-1. Benayoun scored his debut goal for West Ham in a 4-0 thrashing over Aston Villa in September 2005.

Benayoun showed skill and trickery that is now long missed at West Ham, being able to pull off 3 fake shots in a row and tricking the defenders every time then slotting home a finish is no easy thing to do!

When signing for the Hammers on the 10^th of July 2007 for £7.5m Craig Bellamy became West Hams record signing.

Bellamy made his debut on the 11^th August 2007 in a game against Manchester City, a game which the Hammers lost 2-0. Bellamy’s first goals came in a League Cup tie against Bristol Rovers on the 28^th August 2007. West Ham won the game 2-1. Bellamy’s first season was a disappointing one, which was not Bellamy’s fault. Out of the 9 games he managed to play he scored 4 goals. Injury was a major factor in Bellamy’s first season which was not only frustrating for him but also frustrating for the Hammers faithful and club as a whole.

Bellamy finally returned to action in the third game of the 2008-09 season against Blackburn Rovers in which he scored the third goal in a game that West Ham won 4-1. it was his fifth goal for the Hammers in a total of 10 appearances since joining the club. Bellamy went on to make a total of 16 league appearances for West Ham scoring 5 goals.

This form had attracted the attention of many top clubs in the Premiership including Tottenham and Manchester City.

Bellamy was eventually sold to Manchester City for a reported £14m.

Jermaine Defoe was used in a swap deal for Bobby Zamora in January 2004. He scored on his debut in a game that saw West Ham come from behind to beat Bradford City. Zamora then scored on his home debut against Cardiff City which gave West Ham the 3 points on the day. In the 2004-05 season Zamora scored a total of 13 goals, including 3 in the play off semi finals (one in the first leg and two in the second leg). He then scored the only goal in the Play Off final against Preston North End, sending West Ham back into the Premiership.

In the 2005-06 season Zamora made a total of 42 league and cup appearances scoring 10 goals, this is the season in which West Ham reached the FA Cup final and finished in the top half of the Premiership. In January 2006 West Ham awarded Zamora with a new four year contract to show their appreciation for his contributions that season, which he further extended in October of the same year so his contract was going to run until 2011. He was quoted as saying “I'm delighted to have extended my contract and I'm now looking forward to spending my long-term future at Boleyn Ground. I've been here for almost three years now, and there is really no other place I would rather be. This is my club and wearing a claret and blue shirt is all I have ever wanted to do.”

The Hammers scored 6 goals in their first 4 games of the 2006-07 season, Zamora got 5 of them goals, showing he was not lacking in form. However, when the whole team hit a new low after that Zamora was not immune to that. He did not get another goal until January 2007. Zamora did end up finishing the season with a total of 11 goals. Along the way becoming the first player to score the winning goal against Arsenal at their new Emirates stadium in April 2007.

Zamora was injury plagued in the 2007-08 season and spent five months on the sidelines as he was suffering from tendinitis. Zamora finished his West Ham career with a total of 152 appearances and 40 goals before moving to Fulham for a reported £4m.

That’s all for this blog lads and ladies, If you have anymore suggestions please post them in the comment section below and give your reasons why.

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Thanks

Deen Galer