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From the Terraces
Can West Ham keep Freddie Sears away from the Premier League' big guns?
Posted by: Tess Okuefuna, Sun 23rd Mar 2008
Tagged:
Premiership, West Ham
Football FanCast columnist Tess Okuefuna looks at the precocious talent of West Ham starlet Freddie Sears and wonders if he will join a long list of academy graduates that have slipped the East London club's net in order to get Champions League football.
The West Ham faithful have found a new hero to worship; an East Londoner and the latest to come out of West Ham's prolific youth academy. He certainly looks promising and some would say the world at his feet, but will Freddie Sears still be wearing the claret and blue in a year's time?
Do the Hammers have to sell him? A precedent that stems back in recent memory to Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick says they will. It has almost become a West Ham tradition to sell their best or most promising talent to the Premier League's bigger clubs. But would they be prepared to let young Sears slip from their grasp. Its early days but this kid looks pretty special.
Only Everton's far post stood in the way of two consecutive winners in two league appearances. What a record that would have been. Last week Sears made his hammers debut as a 75th minute substitute against Blackburn in front of an ardent home support. With only nine minutes left of normal time Sears followed up his initial parried shot with a diving header to give West Ham all three points. That gave manager Alan Curbishley some respite after a trilogy of four nil defeats.
Eighteen year old Sears joined the "Academy of Football" at the age of 11. His chance has come now because of his performances at youth and reserve level where he has notched up 25 goals in 24 games during 2007/8 season. He earned his first cap for England U19s in a 4-0 win over Belarus last September. The future looks bright for the east London lad who is already fast becoming one of English football's promising players.
Ultimately, these players are sold because of their club's financial constraints. But if a young player believes the grass is greener elsewhere they'll leave to play on it. Loyalty in football is as scarce as the number of English players in the Arsenal first team. Unless your club can challenge for the Premier League or gatecrash the Champions League party you may as well prepare yourself to lose your most talented young players. Everton fans will testify to that - a case in point; Wayne Rooney.
West Ham fans cheered Sears when he scored on his debut but I bet there were a few in the ground quietly saying "shush, we want to keep this little gem under wraps" - sorry but he's already sparkling very brightly.
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He is a super talen with his
He is a super talen with his head screwed on, we are under different ownership now and I dont expect the same selling on policy as before.
Looks a nice talent; I think
Looks a nice talent; I think we will wait another couple more years before he makes the step up to Tottenham.
In the old days they would
In the old days they would have touted him out by now but the new regime wont lt him go plus we can pay top dollar for him now so he doesnt need to leave.
This isn't an amazingly well
This isn't an amazingly well informed article. I know other clubs like to patronise us, especially those dilusional numpties at White Hart Lane, but things have changed in the East End.
We sold most of our academy talent during the fire sale that followed relegation (Fat Frank and Rio were different, but connected stories). That's not happening this season and now we are owned by Gudmonssen, it will be less likely in the future.
We're going to be seeing gradual improvement, and while you can never say never at Upton Park. We're going to be keeping our academy players and they'll be competing with some good European players brought in by Nani.
East London truly is wonderful right now.
"Do the Hammers have to sell
"Do the Hammers have to sell him? A precedent that stems back in recent memory to Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick says they will."
"Ultimately, these players are sold because of their club's financial constraints."
The author appears to have conveniently ignored the fact that West Ham United are now owned by a billionaire. Congratulations though on being the first to link young Fred with a move to pastures new (before he's even played a full game for United). It must be a quiet week at Football Fan Cast.
As for the Spurs fan (True Spur), you should be more worried than most given Joe Lewis' heavy investment (and subsequent losses to the tune of £400m) in Bear Sterns. Sadly there's not an awful lot worth lifting from your youth set up.
Unfortuately, this is yet
Unfortuately, this is yet another one of those articles where the writer has a little knowledge and this has become dangerous.
West Ham do not need to sell any players now with a billionaire owner and an articulated strategy (see the website) of challenging for all major domestic and European honours. This includes the building of a new stadium and the harnessing of our academy players. Players leave for two main reasons - the club needs the cash, or the club does not have sufficient ambition. Neither applies to West Ham any more. It should also be taken into account the strong links that many of the academy players have with the club. When Freddie Sears scored his goal against Blackburn, he put his arms together in the shape of the Hammers - he loves the club and is a diehard Hammers supporter, as are Mark Noble, Lee Bowyer, Bobby Zamora, Anton Ferdinand and the other debut, James Tomkins. Freddie Sears will not be leaving West Ham anytime soon.
Having an "articulated
Having an "articulated strategy" doesn't guarantee success. Chelsea have a similar plan. Peter Kenyon forecasts that in seven or so years Chelsea will become the biggest football club in the world. And their owner is far richer than West Ham's is. And I’d be very careful when you say that West Ham is owned by a billionaire because according to rich lists Guðmundsson is worth $1.2b not sterling that’s around £500m.
Yes Freddie Sears is a West Ham fan and celebrated his goal by crossing his arms but Wayne Rooney was an Everton fan - once a blue always… a red devil.
Having a “billionaire” owner doesn't mean West Ham will challenge for major and domestic honours. There are no assurances in football esp when your a club trying to break the dominance of Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal. Top players want to play in Europe. Football is fast moving and there is no respite. In the current climate teams like West Ham and Man City, who also have a “billionaire” owner, would need to spend big money to break into the top 4 never mind challenge for titles at home and abroad. City and West Ham have very good academies but what you shouldn’t forget is a footballer’s career is short. Sears could be an exception but if a young player has a chance to play for a club that competes for major honours consistently why would they turn that down? Esp. if they're offered more money, that would make it doubly difficult.
What a lazy article; the
What a lazy article; the once continually cash-strapped Hammers are now owned by an Icelandic billionaire, one of the richest men in Europe, whose avowed aim is to break into the top 4 and achieve European football on a regular basis. He has put his wallet where his mouth is and has provided his manager with a transfer war chest that is envied by almost every manager in the Premiership. Add to that the fact that he is currently planning a move to a brand new 50,000 seater stadium and West Ham can hardly be called 'cash-strapped'.
If you're going to write articles about West Ham, at least research them just a little before you do so; there are already enough lazy journalists plying their trade.
Lazy rubbish again. Freeddie
Lazy rubbish again. Freeddie Sears is here to stay for a good few years yet. God bless Tony carr the hero behind the academy. Up the hammers
what a load of rubbish, we
what a load of rubbish, we are now owned by a guy with real paper, real cheese and on top of that he is a smart man. we should never have sold of the others which is true, but obviously we are under new management now a new era, so get with it. Spurs fans how you must feel threatened now by little
west ham, new stadium new owners with brains and cash, new technical director with serious links world wide for players, great youth set up as we all know, dean ashton, bellamy, feubert (watch out for this guy) he is a serious player remember i told you, scott parker, Rub of the green aka Rob Green,Noble the list goes on....the future is bright much brighter than the spuds your future is Berbatov. will he stay or will he go now!!! that is the question im sure he will want to be playing Champions league sooner rather than later, thats what you should be worrying about not west hams affairs....
we are a solid 10th and with 3 consecutive 4-0 loses you still aint even close...hahahaha how crap is that, and with the injuries we have had to so many key players...use your brain it dont take a degree to see that west ham are well on the up. damm this is it. A real sucsess story in the making . Watch this space son!! IRONS IRONS IRONS IRONS all day long
