[baggiejohn]

Going back to Madeley's piece the day after Bilic got sacked it does appear there was a difference of opinion on players for this campaign between Dowling and Bilic .
In fact you can trace it a little further back to Zohore and Grosicki who Bilic barely picked . Add that to the other issue you highlighted and I don't think it's far off how we got in a mess . I agree with not binning this strategy if we show signs of improvement , far too much short term thinking going on .

If I recall, the biggest difference of opinion between Bilic & Dowling was about Diangana.

Bilic would rather have spent the transfer fee on other players. (Can't say I disagree)

Personally, I think that the decision to reduce the age of the players was wrong, (at least as soon as we had been promoted, it was).

IMO the board should have changed the strategy to staying in the EPL.

WBA could have paid the wages of some good players for the £40 odd million we spent on transfer fees in the summer, as was demonstrated in January.

[boinging_along]

If I recall, the biggest difference of opinion between Bilic & Dowling was about Diangana.

Bilic would rather have spent the transfer fee on other players. (Can't say I disagree)

Personally, I think that the decision to reduce the age of the players was wrong, (at least as soon as we had been promoted, it was).

IMO the board should have changed the strategy to staying in the EPL.

WBA could have paid the wages of some good players for the £40 odd million we spent on transfer fees in the summer, as was demonstrated in January.

You think we'd have stood a chance of staying up by relying on free transfers? and no Pierera?  It would have been a brave board to have sanctioned that. 

[baggiejohn]

You think we'd have stood a chance of staying up by relying on free transfers? and no Pierera?  It would have been a brave board to have sanctioned that. 

Isn't that what they're doing now?

[KN22]

Best window in along time with each outfield player being an improvement on who he's replaced and only half million spent.

I agree that January was a very good window. I do somehow doubt the statement that we spent only half a million. Its a moot point though since we cannot prove it either way.

[Atomic]

I agree that January was a very good window. I do somehow doubt the statement that we spent only half a million. Its a moot point though since we cannot prove it either way.

There's no way we spent only half a million. When you add up all bits and pieces, hidden fees, it'll come to a fair bit more than that.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Too late?  Sam took over and we were 3 pts off safety and he's had the full window to get players in.

To be fair, if he keeps us up from this position then he deserves to stay on. 

I do agree with this part to an extent.

In order for the January signings to have they impact they needed, we needed to stay within contention of the pack so that the new signings gave us the added impetus we needed to survive. 

Unfortunately, our performances were largely abysmal and we've fallen behind the likes of Brighton, Burnely and Newcastle.

The new signings are now trying to bring us back into contention rather than taking us away from the drop zone.

We now have a side whom don't react to pressure particularly well, having the pressure of needing to win pretty much every game.

[boinging_along]

Isn't that what they're doing now?

Yeah, but not in the summer, always the case that teams tend to not spend in January.  Going into the Prem season relying only on free transfers?  The board would have been hammered before we'd even kicked a ball. 

[Dexy]

If I recall, the biggest difference of opinion between Bilic & Dowling was about Diangana.

Bilic would rather have spent the transfer fee on other players. (Can't say I disagree)s

Personally, I think that the decision to reduce the age of the players was wrong, (at least as soon as we had been promoted, it was).

IMO the board should have changed the strategy to staying in the EPL.

WBA could have paid the wages of some good players for the £40 odd million we spent on transfer fees in the summer, as was demonstrated in January.

From memory and I'd have to read it again to be sure I believe you are correct on the Grady issue but Dowling and co would have liked a DM where Bilic plumped for Krov .
There was also the issue over two strikers Bilic wanted , certainly at this point there appears to have been a break in relations . That said I wouldn't have been keen on those two either , again in hindsight the Grant money alone could and should have been spent better .

[gazberg]

There's no way we spent only half a million. When you add up all bits and pieces, hidden fees, it'll come to a fair bit more than that.

From the Athletic and Percy they gave the following info:

AMN was 280k flat, that's to help cover his wages i assume

Snodgrass was 150k fee and wages 40k-ish? for 20 weeks say 800k so lets call that 1m all in for the season.

Diagne is 55k per week, no fee. 55x20 weeks is 1.1m

Okay is a fee IF we stay up.

So they gave Allardyce 2.2m-ish including wages.

We also shipped out Field, Kipre, Austin and Harper so thats 50k saved in wages. So net they have given him around 1m including any wages to keep us up.

[Standaman]

I doubt the deals that were done in January were available in the summer although similar alternatives would have been. We haven't spent a lot up front but we have committed to future permeant deals but only I think they kick in if we stay up.

All of this is just a short term fix and one that has had a couple of decent results. It is absolutely not the start of anything long term. 

[Wigmore]

There's no way we spent only half a million. When you add up all bits and pieces, hidden fees, it'll come to a fair bit more than that.

I wonder what Craig Allardyce is doing these days...

[baggiejohn]

I doubt the deals that were done in January were available in the summer although similar alternatives would have been. We haven't spent a lot up front but we have committed to future permeant deals but only I think they kick in if we stay up.

All of this is just a short term fix and one that has had a couple of decent results. It is absolutely not the start of anything long term.

While the club is up for sale, I'd agree, there is no long term thinking, but if a synergy starts to develop between SA & the players, the board might be tempted to risk a loan for a season to keep some of the key players.

If it all falls apart between now & May, then it's a dismantle & start again.

[seteefeet]

While the club is up for sale, I'd agree, there is no long term thinking, but if a synergy starts to develop between SA & the players, the board might be tempted to risk a loan for a season to keep some of the key players.

If it all falls apart between now & May, then it's a dismantle & start again.

I'm no fan of his and I think it would be horrible having him in the Championship but I can see why it might happen if we have a strong finish.

If we he manages to beat the Wolves again I'd probably advocate freedom of West Brom though to be fair.

[Albionic]

I can see the scenario of Allardyce running us in the champs having sold Periera / Diangana / Johnston/ O’shea no Diang, Okay, offloaded Gibbs, Phillips, Peltier, Livermore, Austin, Zohore,

An unrecognisable team in Allardyces image is odds on in my opinions

[timdon]

Getting a bit of bad press here:
https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/west-ham-news/west-ham-hammers-sam-allardyce-rio-ferdinand-tottenham-west-brom-ravel-morrison/

[LiamTheBaggie]

Getting a bit of bad press here:
https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/west-ham-news/west-ham-hammers-sam-allardyce-rio-ferdinand-tottenham-west-brom-ravel-morrison/

This was the only pertinent point for me

“But look, Sam is a top guy, we just went through a difficult period, but in football stuff happens some times and it can be frustrating, it can be the best or the worst thing.”

Clubs/managers asking troubled players to change agent is something that goes on regularly up and down the country. Morrison is a trouble and the seemingly doesn’t have many bad words to say.

Nothing to see here.

[timdon]

This was the only pertinent point for me

“But look, Sam is a top guy, we just went through a difficult period, but in football stuff happens some times and it can be frustrating, it can be the best or the worst thing.”

Clubs/managers asking troubled players to change agent is something that goes on regularly up and down the country. Morrison is a trouble and the seemingly doesn’t have many bad words to say.

Nothing to see here.

You may be right. West Ham fans seem to view it differently though.

[ex coseley kid]

You may be right. West Ham fans seem to view it differently though.

Sorry but I agree with Liam, this is a nothing story to me.

[timdon]

Sorry but I agree with Liam, this is a nothing story to me.

That's fine. I'm not disagreeing with Liam either. Just pointing out that West Ham fans seem to view it differently. Different perceptions of the same story.

[ex coseley kid]

That's fine. I'm not disagreeing with Liam either. Just pointing out that West Ham fans seem to view it differently. Different perceptions of the same story.

True.

They also hated us getting Grady. I do genuinely wonder how that little saga will pan out for us....?

[glosterbaggie]

True.

They also hated us getting Grady. I do genuinely wonder how that little saga will pan out for us....?

So far they done nicely out of it, Early days I know.

[OhBilics]

While the club is up for sale, I'd agree, there is no long term thinking

Which is stupid in my opinion. If I was going to buy a business I'd want to see that it's being looked after properly and had a future, and if not then I'd be willing to part with a lot less for it.

[Astle1968]

This was the only pertinent point for me

“But look, Sam is a top guy, we just went through a difficult period, but in football stuff happens some times and it can be frustrating, it can be the best or the worst thing.”

Clubs/managers asking troubled players to change agent is something that goes on regularly up and down the country. Morrison is a trouble and the seemingly doesn’t have many bad words to say.

Nothing to see here.

Won't go in to detail on here for various reasons, but I believe it was much more than just advising Morrison to change agents. As with many other things Allardyce related that we are not able to discuss on here, it is one of the many reasons I don't want him here even disregarding results & styles of play on the pitch

[tommcneill]

This was the only pertinent point for me

“But look, Sam is a top guy, we just went through a difficult period, but in football stuff happens some times and it can be frustrating, it can be the best or the worst thing.”

Clubs/managers asking troubled players to change agent is something that goes on regularly up and down the country. Morrison is a trouble and the seemingly doesn’t have many bad words to say.

Nothing to see here.

He also says it was his most enjoyable time in football at WHU and all that was under Sam...

[skyclad99]

Which is stupid in my opinion. If I was going to buy a business I'd want to see that it's being looked after properly and had a future, and if not then I'd be willing to part with a lot less for it.

And therein lies the whole problem with our club