You hear a lot of the time football fans talking about their favourite all-time team for the club they support. They reminisce about the good old days where proper tackling took place and there were no cries of players asking for more money.
If we were writing about West Ham’s greatest strikers you would hear all the usual suspects; Geoff Hurst, Tony Cottee, Paulo Di Canio and so on.
But this article is about the club’s worst strikers this century and there are countless options to pick from in the top 10.
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This is in no particular order and if you feel I have missed anyone out feel free to comment below.
We’ll start in the year 2000, when Harry Redknapp was manager. He bought some good players but ‘Arry also attracted some rubbish to the club as well.
Redknapp signed Liverpool forward Titi Camara for £1.5 million. He has to be one of the worst transfer deals in the history of the club, he only played 14 games in three years, scoring none.
Henri Camara was loan at West Ham in the 2007/08 season and wasn’t much better. I don’t ever remember him getting a shot on target and was a waste of space. He scored no goals.
Mido was one of many poor strikers who played under Gianfranco Zola. He was only paid £1000 a week but that was £1000 too many. Mido said on his signing for the club; “I’m sure I’ll do well here.” He didn’t. He scored no goals.
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Benni McCarthy was another scoreless striker. In truth, we signed him five years too late and only played 11 times for the club.
Savio Nsereko cost £9 millon, the club’s highest ever fee for a player. He failed to settle and was sold to Fiorentina after only 10 appearances.
Neil Mellor has done well recently with Preston and Sheffield Wednesday, but at West Ham he had a bad time of it. He looked overweight and missed a lot of chances, he only scored two goals.
Emmanuel Omoyinmi will go down in history at West Ham, but for the wrong reasons. He was the illegible player which forced West Ham to play Aston Villa again in a replay having already played in the competition for Gillingham in the 1999/00 season.
I still can’t believe what Sir Alex Ferguson and Alan Pardew saw in David Bellion. He may have had a bit of pace that was about it.
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Kepa Blanco was a UEFA Cup winner with Sevilla in 2006 but only scored once for the club in 2007.
I believe Frédéric Piquionne has been a waste of money. He was signed for £1 million by Avram Grant and has only scored 8 goals in 54 league games.
There are mentions for Davor Suker, Guillermo Franco and Samassi Abou.
You missed the “Daddy” of all bad signings, the one and only Marco Boogers, you can add to the list David Swindlehurst, John Radford, David Kelly, Lee Chapman and Radecioue (or however it’s spelt)
The top of the list surely must be Freddie Sears – he cant perform at any level and had the cheek to turn down Crawley…he obviously realises he is overpaid and making hay while the sun still shines……Piquienne gets all the stick but Sears really wouldnt be with us if he hadnt come through the ranks.
Rebrov??
Rebrov oh my lord he just looked like he was a smack head, total waste of space! I dont agree about franco i would be more than happy to see him on the bench right now! for me the worst ever west ham signing and i know he is not a sriker has to be Kieron Dyer!!! nuff said
paulo wanchope…now he takes some bearing for worst
Franco??? How was franco a bad signing?ge scored vital goals fr us
Its gotta be Paulo, Wanchape that is. He did the kan kan every time the ball went near him!
Wanchope ?
15 goals in 47 games for WHUFC , no worldbeater but not a bad player by any standard
“illegible”? Do you mean inelligable?
Erm, do people actually READ the title of this article?
Worst strikers THIS CENTURY!! That means 2000 onwards
I ‘d add Kaba Diawara, Kepa Blanco, Freddie Piquionne to the OP’s list
Franco was a good signing. Scored vital goals and worked hard
Ooops, just realised Blanco and Piq were mentioned under the spam.
My bad…
Mido was probably the worst and compounded it by insisting on taking a penalty which he promptly fluffed. Sears has to be on the list. Failed whilst on loan and failed on his return. No weight. No goals. I am surprised that no one has mentioned Carew. Another of the strikers we have bought long after their best days were behind them. I wouldn’t include Franco. A classy player with crucial goals. His game against Hull was exceptional.
Abou -? He was a legend. Not very good, but a legend. ‘Deadly Don’ (second time around) Now there was a waste of money. But when it comes to a waste of money, look no further than Dyer…..
Carlton Cole
No idea what your talking about
carlton cole is the reason why we went down and have not won the league this year 12 goals this season in the championship he should have double that ,worst stirker in the past 5 years
can i just ask do you go to games??? cos i,m a season ticket holder and cant belive he get in the side he must be the best player in training but when he get on the pitch he is dog s**t
I go to games and Carlton Cole is not a bad player. His main problem this season is that he has to be rested as injuries have caught up with him- people should appreciate that more.
I’ve never seen a player have a worse rub of the green with refs as him this season. Constantly pulled up for fouls which aren’t and constantly being fouled without fouls being given.
As for his goals. You try scoring hat-fulls when you constantly have two men on you cos you’re the sole striker. It’s a system that works due to Carlton’s work-rate.
Back to the thread- Franco was a fine striker, albeit at the ail end of his career, He came and did a job rather than just pick up the money.
Some of you obviously can’t read-it says THIS century(2000 onwards)!!
Frédéric Piquionne & Johb Carew?
Harsh putting Franco on there I think, he scored quite a few goals from the bench and was a handy impact sub!
Going back a bit but Peter Eustace……terrible. Couldn’t hit the target in the warm up!
Can’t believe no mention for Marco Boogers
Keiron Dyer, John Carew, two of many who have taken good money from the club and have given nothing in return.